April 30: Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points while Tari Eason added 18, as the Houston Rockets kept their playoff hopes alive with a hard-fought 99–93 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of their first-round series on Wednesday.
Facing elimination for the second consecutive game, the Rockets delivered a determined performance on the road to claw their way back into the contest. Alperen Şengün contributed 14 points along with nine rebounds and eight assists, narrowly missing a triple-double, while Amen Thompson chipped in 15 points.
With the win, Houston trimmed the series deficit to 3–2 in the best-of-seven Western Conference matchup after initially falling behind 3–0. Despite the resurgence, history remains against them, as no team in National Basketball Association history has ever come back from a 3–0 deficit to win a playoff series.
Game 6 now looms as another must-win for the Rockets as they attempt to extend their improbable comeback bid.
