LeBron James tied it with 13.6 seconds left in regulation, Marcus Smart took over in overtime, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 112-108 on Friday to grab a 3-0 series lead.
James finished with 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, while Smart scored 21 points and handed out 10 assists, including eight points in the extra period. Rui Hachimura added 22 points for Los Angeles.
Houston had the game in hand late. The Rockets led by six with fewer than 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter before the lead vanished, and they could not recover after the game reached overtime.
Alperen Şengün led all scorers with 33 points, 16 rebounds and six assists for Houston. Jabari Smith Jr. made 6 of 10 3-pointers and scored 24 points, and Amen Thompson added 26 points and 11 rebounds. Kevin Durant did not play because of an ankle injury, and this was the Rockets' second playoff game without him.
The loss left Houston staring at elimination after entering the series as a heavy favorite. The Lakers, who finished the 2025-26 regular season 22-8 in clutch situations, are one win from a sweep.