American star LeBron James led his Los Angeles Lakers to a thrilling victory over his host Houston Rockets, 112-108, after an extra period, on Friday, giving his team a 3-0 lead in their series of confrontations in the first round of the Western Region playoffs in the NBA.
James, 41 years old, scored 29 points, and gave a decisive performance in crucial moments, as he was able to steal an important ball and score an equalizing three-pointer 13.6 seconds before the end of regular time, in addition to his effective contribution in overtime with strong defense, new possession of the ball, and an effective save.
Despite not scoring the winning basket in the final seconds, James continued to influence the course of the match by adding 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals, leading his team to a very important victory that put the Rockets on the cusp of exiting the competition, in a series in which the history of the league did not witness any team coming back from a 0-3 deficit.
James said after the match, saying: “It was a brave victory for us,” pointing out the difficult situation the team is going through in light of the significant absences.
The Lakers are preparing to play the fourth game in Houston on Sunday, with the goal of settling the series as soon as possible, despite the absence of both Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves due to injury.
On the other hand, Turkish player Alberin Shingun shined for the Rockets by scoring 33 points and 16 rebounds, in the absence of star Kevin Durant due to injury.
In another match in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs achieved a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers with a score of 120-108, to tie the series with a score of 2-1, despite the absence of its French star, “Victor Wembanyama,” due to a concussion.
