The Houston Rockets are still on their back foot, but they’re two wins from achieving NBA history.
After trailing by double-digits at one point in the first quarter, Houston roared back to take Game 5 99-93 against the Los Angeles and force a Game 6 in a series they once trailed 3-0. No NBA team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit, but the Rockets will try to take another step toward that feat on Friday.
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They’ve already achieved something notable, though. Before Wednesday, no team had defeated LeBron James in a closeout game on the road since 2008.
Jabari Smith Jr. led Houston with 22 points on 6-of-13 shooting, while every other starter scored in double-digits.
Austin Reaves returns after nearly 4 weeks out
The Lakers entered Game 5 with some reason for optimism, thanks to the return of Austin Reaves.
The rising star guard had been out since April 2 with a Grade 2 oblique strain, but made it back a little earlier than expected. Los Angeles is still short-handed with the absence of Luka Dončić — as are the Rockets with Kevin Durant out — but there had been concern Reaves wouldn’t make it back at all in time to play a postseason game for the Lakers.
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Reaves, who was second on the Lakers in points per game in the regular season, came off the bench but still wound up being a featured player. He finished with 22 points and 6 assists in starter-level minutes.
LeBron James achieves a playoff first
There are several NBA leaders that James sits atop, and one of them is playoff steals.
No other player in league history has even reached 400 career steals in the postseason (Scottie Pippen is the closest with 395). James became the first player to reach 500 for his career in the second quarter.
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