The Houston Rockets held on for a 114-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in a thrilling NBA matchup on March 15, 2023. The Lakers were without superstar duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis due to injury, but they still put up a valiant effort against a Rockets team that had been struggling this season.
The Rockets jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter, outscoring the Lakers 31-19 behind some hot shooting from Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green. The Lakers battled back in the second quarter, with D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley connecting on several three-pointers to keep the game close. However, the Rockets maintained their lead heading into halftime, leading 62-48.
In the third quarter, the Lakers began to mount a comeback, with Jarred Vanderbilt dominating the glass and Austin Reaves getting hot from the field. The Lakers outscored the Rockets 26-21 in the quarter to cut the deficit to 83-74 heading into the fourth.
The Lakers continued to chip away at the Rockets' lead in the fourth quarter, with Russell and Reaves hitting big shots to keep the game within reach. However, the Rockets were able to hold off the Lakers down the stretch.
For the Lakers, Austin Reaves led the way with 24 points and 7 assists, Russell added 18 points and 7 assists, while Beasley added 16 points. Vanderbilt also chipped in with a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Rockets were led by Porter, who had a game-high 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Kenyon Martin Jr. had a strong all-around game with 16 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block, while Jabari Smith Jr. added 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block.
Overall, it was a hard-fought game between two teams that have had their fair share of struggles this season. The Lakers showed that they can still compete even without James and Davis, while the Rockets will look to build on this win as they try to climb out of the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
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