Bench lifts Lakers past Rockets as playoff push intensifies

LOS ANGELES — With the Western Conference standings tightening and the season winding down, the Lakers secured a crucial 104-98 win over the red-hot Houston Rockets on Monday night, fueled by a 45-point outburst from their bench.

The victory snapped L.A.’s two-game home skid and halted Houston’s 12-2 stretch over their last 14 games. Now 46-29, the Lakers remain in fourth place in the West, inching closer to their goal of avoiding the play-in.

“Our mission is to lock in a playoff spot and not have to play in the play-in, so we understand what’s at stake,” LeBron James said, who finished with 16 points and eight rebounds in 37 minutes.

With Houston’s defense focused on Luka Dončić, the Lakers’ supporting cast stepped up. L.A.’s bench outscored Houston’s reserves—just as they had against Memphis’ top-ranked second unit last game—fueling the team’s offensive push. Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith led the charge, each scoring 20 points while combining for 12 of the Lakers’ 16 three-pointers.

Vincent has scored 15+ and shot 10-of-19 from three in the last two wins. The Lakers are now 14-2 in games he has scored in double figures this season.

Head coach JJ Redick emphasized a rebounding-by-committee approach, which worked in neutralizing Houston’s Alperen Şengün and Steven Adams from hurting them on the glass. Houston's frontcourt also had to stay away from the paint on the defensive end on Finney-Smith.

Their small ball unit with Finney-Smith generated six 3-pointers (11 attempts) on the night from corner threes and open looks off of pick and pops. His best-scoring game and highest-scoring mark as a Laker.

“His teammates have a ton of confidence in him. We as a coaching staff have a ton of confidence in him,” Redick said on Finney-Smith. “The type of shots he gets—whether it’s a corner three or a pick-and-pop versus a five—those are open shots. We’re not going to get better shots. He has to be willing to unload the clip every night.”

Houston took away the lob threat between Dončić and Jackson Hayes, but the Slovenian star adjusted by dazzling the home crowd with highlight-reel assists, including behind-the-back dimes and an ankle-breaking sequence that sent the arena into a frenzy.

In the second quarter, Dončić found himself isolated on an island against Şengün at the top of the key. A quick snatch-back dribble sent the big man stumbling to the floor as the crowd erupted. Rather than taking the open shot, Dončić drove inside and kicked out to Finney-Smith for a corner three—one of his nine assists on the night.

Dončić finished with 20 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in 38 minutes, while Austin Reaves added 12 points and eight boards.

“Today we fought. We fought very hard. It was a very physical game. We have to play like this every game,” Dončić said.

Next Game

The Lakers continue their three-game homestand on Thursday against the Golden State Warriors (43-31), their fourth and final meeting of the season. The Warriors have won four of their last six and remain in the thick of the West’s playoff race.