Three Stats to Know Ahead of Rockets vs. Lakers Game 3

As much as the Houston Rockets' season is in jeopardy, down 2-0 to the Los Angeles Lakers, they have a legitimate shot at turning things around in Game 3 as they head home. The Rockets were putrid in Games 1 and 2 at Crypto.com Arena, but a new setting brings new opportunities.

Houston will play Games 3 and 4 at the Toyota Center, particularly hoping to turn around its offense. The Rockets put up an average of 96 points on 39-29-73 shooting splits on the road, while the Lakers got major outings from their rotation despite the absences of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

Houston has the chance to get its first win of the NBA playoffs, but there are some numbers to consider when analyzing Game 3. Here are three stats to know ahead of this home contest:

30-11: Rockets' Regular-Season Home Record

As horrid as the Rockets were on the road this regular season (22-19), they were quite impressive in their own arena. Their 30-11 record ranked third among Western Conference playoff teams, the top two being the Oklahoma City Thunder (34-7) and San Antonio Spurs (32-8).

Houston's offense jumped from a 117.5 rating to 118.9 at the Toyota Center, averaging 114.8 points per game. It's not spectacular, but this team knows how to improve at home. Meanwhile, the Lakers were impressive on the road this season (25-16), also ranking third among West playoff teams in terms of record. They also have two wins in Houston from mid-March.

26-10-8: LeBron James’ Road Playoff Stats as a Laker

James has shown no signs of slowing down at 41 years old, reinventing himself this postseason. Even with Dončić and Reaves out, the Lakers' offense has held it together given the circumstances, with The King pouring in 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in Game 2.

Game 1 saw him more as a facilitator with 19 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists to complement Luke Kennard's 27 points. But on the road, James could turn it up a notch from the regular season.

His days of dropping over 40 points while leading the Cleveland Cavaliers are long gone, but as a Laker, James has been a savant in every statistical category.

Since joining Los Angeles, he has averaged 26.1 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists in road playoff games. He may not be as aggressive a scorer, but the 41-year-old knows how to lead in other areas of the game at this point in his career.

31.4: Kevin Durant's Points Per Home Playoff Game Since 2021

Durant was not put in a position to succeed in Game 2, and many have sounded off on head coach Ime Udoka. After dropping 20 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field in the first half, the 37-year-old dropped off a cliff over the final 24 minutes. Durant had just three points and five turnovers, finishing with a jaw-dropping nine giveaways.

A lot of Houston's production is dependent on how the Lakers attack Durant, but he has been a playoff riser in his own arena. The 6-foot-11 sniper has averaged 31.4 points on 51-40-91 shooting splits in home playoff contests since 2021.

Durant has had some major postseason moments since leaving the Golden State Warriors, including an Eastern Conference Semifinals in which he dropped an astounding 129 points, 37 rebounds and 19 assists over the final three games. Does he have another stretch of vintage performances in him?

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