Yes. The Lakers beat the Rockets 112-108 in overtime in Game 3 on Friday in Houston, erasing a six-point deficit in the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter to move within one win of a sweep.
LeBron James hit the tying three-pointer with 13.6 seconds left in regulation, finished with 29 points and 13 rebounds, and played 45 minutes 4 seconds. Marcus Smart added 25 points, 10 assists, five steals and two blocks in the overtime win, and he kept the comeback alive with three free throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt by Jae’Sean Tate with 25.4 seconds left. The Rockets briefly looked in control when Reed Sheppard put them ahead 101-95 with a three-pointer with 4:59 remaining, and Alperen Sengun then dunked over James for a 101-95 Houston lead with 40.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The result gave Los Angeles a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven first-round Western Conference playoff series. The Lakers will try to complete their first playoff series sweep since 2010 on Sunday. They did it without Austin Reaves, who was unavailable, while Luka Doncic sat courtside in a white jacket and white T-shirt while nursing a left hamstring injury.
The late-game finish fit the tone of the night. Smart said the group was trying to play with a killer mentality and added that once it had Houston on the ropes, the job was to finish. James had 406 combined playoff games worth of experience on the floor, and the Lakers looked every bit like a team that knew exactly when to push and when to survive.
Bronny James, asked about what the game demanded, answered, “Absolutely not,” a line that matched the mood inside a game that kept flipping until Los Angeles finally took it away. JJ Redick’s sideline message was simpler: “Next play. Next play.”