HOUSTON – A week ago, the Houston Rockets’ season was all but over.
The squad walked off the floor of Toyota Center after one of the most gut-wrenching playoff defeats in recent memory, blowing a six-point lead in the final 30 seconds to fall to the Los Angeles Lakers, 112–108.
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The loss was devastating in more ways than one.
It extended LA’s series lead to 3–0, meaning the Lakers needed just one win in their next four games to advance and send Houston home.
But it also shifted the broader perception of the Rockets — not just in this series, but of the team’s construction as a whole.
Seven days later, the pressure has flipped.
The Rockets are now gearing up for a win-or-go-home Game 6 back in Houston, aiming to defy the odds in a way no NBA team has ever accomplished.
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How we got here
The Rockets entered the series as clear favorites.
Despite losing Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams — two key contributors — to season-ending injuries, the Lakers appeared to be in even worse shape.
Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, LA’s top two scorers, were unavailable as the series tipped off, and the consensus was that Houston had the edge in both star power and depth.
But as always, games aren’t played on paper.
Houston suffered a massive blow almost immediately. Kevin Durant — the team’s superstar and offensive nucleus — was ruled out for Game 1 with a knee contusion suffered in practice. The Lakers capitalized, cruising to a 107–98 win.
LA’s role players stepped up in a major way. Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart — two veterans who were expected to play limited roles coming off the bench this year — suddenly became offensive engines. Meanwhile, Houston’s younger, more athletic wings looked outmatched in both effort and execution.
Still, there was no need to panic. Durant returned for Game 2, and Houston seemed poised to respond.
Instead, things got worse.
The Rockets managed just 94 points, looking disjointed whenever Durant wasn’t carrying the offense. He scored 20 efficient first-half points but finished with only 23. KD was back, but the issues from Game 1 were only magnified.
Even down 2–0, Houston had reason for optimism — both losses came on the road, and the series was shifting back home.
Then came another setback: Durant was ruled out of Game 3 with an ankle sprain.
The collapse in Game 3
Game 3 didn’t carry the same sense of doom.
The Rockets lacked offensive firepower, but they fought.
Down eight in the fourth quarter, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, and Alperen Sengun fueled a 27–13 run to give Houston a 101–95 lead with under a minute remaining.
A missed Lakers three led to a rebound by Jae’Sean Tate — effectively sealing the game. ESPN’s win probability gave Houston a 97.3% chance to win at that moment.
Then everything unraveled.
A careless pass from Smith Jr. resulted in a turnover. On the next possession, Tate made contact with Smart as he rose of a three, committing a costly foul that gave the Lakers three free points.
Suddenly, it was a one-possession game.
Moments later, LeBron James pressured Houston’s Reed Sheppard into another turnover, then buried a game-tying three to force overtime.
Momentum had completely shifted in seconds. Overtime only confirmed what already felt inevitable: the Lakers were winning this basketball game.
The body language said everything. Head coach Ime Udoka looked furious. While the Lakers embraced and celebrated, every Rockets player stood frozen, eyes locked on the hardwood, replaying the sequence that turned a surefire win into a collapse.
They unraveled possession by possession, turning a potential turnaround into a deeper hole than before.
The moment felt too big. The lights were too bright. A team with serious championship aspirations was now staring at a first-round sweep.
Flipping the script
Durant remained sidelined for Game 4.
From the outside, it looked like a team ready to fold — one already thinking about the offseason.
Instead, Houston responded.
The Rockets played with urgency and energy. No Laker scored 20+ points, and LeBron was held to just 10.
LA emptied its bench early, and Houston cruised to a 19-point win. What once looked like a sweep became a “gentleman’s sweep” scenario. It still felt destined to end in five, right?
Then came Game 5.
With Reaves returning from injury and Durant still out, the Lakers were expected to close things out.
They didn’t.
Reaves showed rust in his first game action in weeks, and the early-series heroes faded. Smart and Kennard combined for just 12 points, with Kennard scoring only a single free throw.
Meanwhile, Houston leaned into its identity.
The Rockets defended aggressively, forced tough shots, and got balanced contributions across the roster.
Late in the fourth, with the lead cut to three, the tension from Game 3 resurfaced.
This time, Houston delivered. Sheppard redeemed himself with a clutch sequence — a mid-range jumper, a steal off LeBron, and a fast-break dunk to seal the game.
Final score: 99–93.
Game 6 outlook
Here’s what Houston needs to force a Game 7:
Generate offense without Durant
Durant has already been ruled out for Game 6.
While his absence is no longer a death sentence, Houston’s supporting cast must replicate its recent production.
Sengun, typically the No. 2 option, shifted into more of a facilitator role in Game 5, finishing with eight assists on just nine shot attempts. That adjustment unlocked Houston’s offense.
If Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Amen Thompson continue to produce efficiently, the Rockets will be difficult to stop.
Contain Austin Reaves
Reaves scored 22 points in Game 5, but 12 came from the free-throw line, and he shot just 4-of-16 from the field.
With another game under his belt, expect sharper efficiency. Limiting his perimeter scoring will be critical.
The Kennard factor
Kennard was electric early in the series, scoring 27 and 23 points in Games 1 and 2.
Since then, he’s cooled off dramatically — 14, 7, and 1 point over the next three games, shooting under 25% and failing to hit a three in Games 4 and 5.
His regression has coincided directly with Houston’s resurgence.
The paint trade-off
One of the strangest trends in the series: Houston is 0–3 when winning the rebounding battle.
That reflects a deliberate adjustment.
The Rockets have gone small.
Traditional bigs — including Clint Capela — have been phased out, prioritizing spacing and defensive versatility over size. Sengun has taken over as the primary center, with wings crashing the glass.
The trade-off? Interior dominance from LA’s DeAndre Ayton, who has posted back-to-back double-doubles, including a 17-rebound performance in Game 5.
Houston has accepted that cost.
If the Rockets can win the other four matchups on the floor, they’re willing to concede the paint — and so far, that gamble is paying off.