Who knew?
LeBron James flying down the lane unchecked for a pumping over-the-shoulder slam.
Marcus Smart diving and scrapping and leading cheers with a scream.
Luke Kennard stepping to the free-throw line and hearing the chant, “MVP! … MVP! … MVP!”
Who knew?
Without their two best players, facing the quicker and more bruising Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, who knew the Lakers would do what they did Tuesday night at a roaring Crypto.com Arena?
They’re shorthanded but big-hearted. They’re lacking in skill but overflowing with hustle. Their two leading scorers are on the bench, but that doesn’t matter when everyone else is flying around the court.
They should be losing but keep winning, two nights and counting now after a 101-94 victory over the Rockets gave them a two-games-to-none lead.
Some predicted they would be swept, but they could be doing the broom bit. Some predicted they would be bullied, but they’re doing most of the punching.
They say a series doesn’t start until the home team loses a game, but, believe it, this series is already over.
In two games the Lakers have proven that even without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, they are a better team than the Rockets.
They’re tougher. They’re smarter. They’re better coached. They’re more complete. What more do you need to see?
“We’re just getting this thing started,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick, and who’s going to argue with him?
Three days after beating the Rockets without Kevin Durant, they beat the Rockets with Kevin Durant.
Three days after James led them by being the facilitator, he carried them by being the scorer.
Three days after Kennard made every big shot, he made every big shot. Three days after Smart’s intensity filled the Lakers with energy and inspiration, well, he did it again.
Lakers guard Luke Kennard drives past Houston forward Jae’sean Tate during Game 2 of their playoff series at at Crypto.Com Arena on Tuesday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
The Lakers need this sort of team-wide fight just two more times in the next five games, and, while Houston might steal a win or two, aside from Durant the Rockets don’t seem composed enough to clear that sort of hurdle.
“Our group has, in aggregate, been an incredibly resilient group,” said Redick. “We have the confidence and belief and certainly the collective competitive spirit to be on this stage.”
Houston is done, just like Durant was done Tuesday night after scoring 20 points in the first half. No, he wasn’t eventually hampered by the knee contusion that kept him sidelined for the opener. He was knocked silly from the body blows the Lakers applied from all sides, holding him to just one basket in a second half that was a defensive coaching masterpiece.
“Obviously it takes a full team effort to guard Kevin,” said Redick. “Our activity was as good as it could have been.”
Durant said the Lakers couldn’t have played better, claiming that this gives the Rockets hope.
“They’ve presented the best version of them so far, the first two games, and we haven’t played well,” he said. “So hopefully we get back home, play well.”
Houston is done, even though the Rockets will indeed be home for Game 3 Friday and Game 4 Sunday. What the Lakers are doing well, it travels. Defense travels. Hustle travels. Tough screens travel. Ball movement travels.
“I thought our guys at least matched their desperation,” said Redick. “You’ve got to win a bunch of little fights. This team required you to win a bunch of little fights.”
They won most of those little fights, particularly after the Rockets pulled within three with 5:58 remaining. Houston never got closer as the NBA’s best clutch team — the Lakers were 22-8 in tight quarters — put their foot down and stomped out any Rockets hope.
The finish was epitomized in the final minutes when, leading by five, Smart had a lunging, slapping steal before throwing a perfect bounce pass to a driving James, who finished with a dunk.
Lakers forward LeBron James leaps up for a reverse slam against the Houston Rockets during Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Crypto.Com Arena on Tuesday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Smart had five steals to go with his seven assists and 25 points, his playoff experience is showing and his work ethic is contagious.
“He just had a killer game,” Redick said of Smart, later adding, “Because he has the voice he has, he can help create the belief and confidence in our group.”
Smart said it’s all about, as his coach often says, meeting the moment.
“The word is, ‘elevate’ for us, and that’s all we’ve been trying to do, is elevate our play on both ends,” he said.
James, meanwhile, had 28 points in 39 minutes, an amazing workload for a 41-year-old, especially considering he played 38 minutes in Saturday’s opener. And to think he still operates with such brute force that he was shoving Rocket defenders all over the court.
“He’s literally a Mack truck,” said Redick. “He forces you to match his physicality.”
Then there was Kennard scoring 23 points after scoring 27 on Saturday, a revelation that, given his shooting history, everyone should have seen coming.
Face it, he would be mostly invisible if Doncic and Reaves were playing. But Kennard said the team has bought into the feeling that they can survive without them.
“I know we just kind of flipped the switch,” he said. “We told each other, this is what we got right now. We’ve got to believe in what we have.”
What they will eventually have is a shocking first-round win.
Houston is done.
Who knew?
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