The Houston Rockets avoided elimination for a second consecutive game in Wednesday night’s Game 5, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 99–93 to cut its first-round series deficit to 3–2.
Despite the return of Austin Reaves, who scored 22 points for the Lakers after missing nine games with an oblique injury, Houston’s relentless defense forced 15 turnovers. Jabari Smith Jr. led the offense for the Rockets with 22 points and 7 rebounds, while Tari Eason added 18 points off the bench.
LeBron James led Los Angeles with 25 points and 7 assists, but his late-game scoring surge wasn’t enough to overcome Houston’s offense.
Lakers vs. Rockets: what to know
- What: NBA Playoffs First Round, Game 6
- When: May 1, 9:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Toyota Center (Houston, Texas)
- Channel: ESPN
- Streaming: Prime Video (try it free)
If the Lakers win tonight, they’ll advance to face the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Round 2, but a Rockets win will move the series back to Los Angeles for a winner-take-all Game 7.
Lakers vs. Rockets start time:
Tonight’s (May 1) Lakers vs. Rockets playoff game is scheduled to tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET.
How to watch Lakers vs. Rockets for free:
Tonight’s Lakers game is one of the NBA Playoffs games streaming exclusively on Prime Video, so you’ll need an Amazon Prime subscription to watch.
Lakers vs. Rockets first round playoff schedule
- Game 1: Lakers 107, Rockets 98
- Game 2: Lakers 101, Rockets 94
- Game 3: Lakers 112, Rockets 108
- Game 4: Rockets 115, Lakers
- Game 5: Rockets 99, Lakers 93
- Game 6: May 1, 9:30 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
- Game 7: May 3*
* if necessary
NBA Playoffs key dates:
- April 18: NBA Playoffs First Round begins
- June 3: Game 1 of the NBA Finals
Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
