LeBron James hit a tying 3-pointer 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 move within one win of a sweep. The Lakers, who trailed by 6 points with fewer than 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, grabbed a 3-0 series lead in the first-round matchup.
James finished with 29 points, Rui Hachimura scored 22 and Smart added 21 points and 10 assists, including 8 points in overtime. Alperen Şengün led all scorers with 33 points, 16 rebounds and six assists for Houston, while Jabari Smith Jr. made 6 of 10 3-pointers and scored 24 points and Amen Thompson added 26 points and 11 rebounds.
The finish turned on a brief stretch in the final seconds. With 25.4 seconds left, Jae’Sean Tate fouled Smart on a 3-pointer, and Reed Sheppard turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds play. Smart then carried the Lakers through overtime after Houston’s late lead disappeared.
The game also fit a larger pattern. The Lakers entered Game 3 up 2-0 and had finished the regular season 22-8 in clutch situations, while Houston’s perimeter shooting remained a problem at 28.2 percent from 3-point range in the series. The Rockets were also without Kevin Durant because of an ankle injury, leaving them short of the firepower they needed after building a late advantage.
For Houston, the loss was a missed chance to change the shape of the series after controlling much of the fourth quarter. For the Lakers, it was another late escape that showed why they have been so hard to finish off when games tighten. One more win would end the series, and Friday’s comeback made that feel less like a possibility than a countdown.