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Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron and AD stave off Rockets surge, 5 Lessons

By Ronald Agers

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 06: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers react during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Two of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 06, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 06: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers react during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Two of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 06, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

The Los Angeles Lakers avoided going down 0-2 against the Houston Rockets.

The Los Angeles Lakers pull even with the Houston Rockets with a Game 2 win that was harder than it had to be. LeBron James closed out a win that had something Game 1 didn’t. A whole bunch of adjustments, Harden double teams and LeBron James 4th quarter scoring!

When a website possesses the only Los Angeles Lakers post-game report with video analysis, thoughts have to cross the mind. Do they make a difference? Is it worth the hassle of listening to Lakers Nation backlash? More importantly, does anyone from the Los Angeles Lakers actually read them?

After writing one of the more critical post games all season that covered everyone on the roster including Frank Vogel, the Los Angeles Lakers looked like a team that read the entire report, took notes and executed a 117-109 series-tying win.

It would have been easy for the Lakers to get complacent and look for similarities coming off a loss in their first-round series against Portland. But a special shout out to Frank Vogel (More on him later!) sending the message that the Houston Rockets and their defense will not allow a quick “Gentlemen’s Sweep”.

Plus, it didn’t hurt that James Harden provided some bulletin board material in the press conference after Game 1.

The Lakers came out the gate firing on all cylinders on both ends of the floor coming out energized and active right from the jump. The biggest difference was how they defended James Harden with constant double teams and finding the weak link.

Who in the NBA world would have thought it was Russell Westbrook, who cemented his status as a guard that flat out can’t shoot! 

Why this game wasn’t a blowout will be a concern in future games. The Lakers were well on their way to running the Rockets out of Disney World racing out to 41-21 lead. After allowing Houston to hang around with a 67-51 lead at halftime, the wheels almost fell off. The bad habits resurfaced to begin the second half.

  • The 3 point perimeter defense was horrific on a 14-0 Houston run to begin the second half.
  • They started fouling and got in the penalty early. We know what that means right?
  • James Harden spent the quarter at the free-throw line. 
  • Slow rotations to the corner 3 point area where P.J. Tucker and Robert Covington shot lights out!
  • All told, the Lakers actually blew a 20 point lead and were behind for a while in the second half!

However, LeBron James made up for that scoring goose egg omelet in Game 1 by taking over the game on both sides of the floor. The “I don’t feel like going down 2-0 in this series” leadership sent the message that this is not a contender that will lay down and fade under pressure (Like the other number one seed that will remain nameless!).

Championship teams need adversity and weathering the surge the Rockets threw at them with their third-quarter lapse definitely applies.

Frank Vogel did a better job with rotations in this one, but man does he have his work cut out for him in the next few days. Not because the rotations in this game didn’t work, but because there were injuries that could be a problem in the series.

  • Dion Waiters finally played his first major minutes of the series but suffered a left groin injury. 
  • Vogel benched Dwight Howard to use more of the small lineup, but JaVale McGee left in the second half with ankle pain.

The Los Angeles Lakers will have Labor Day off and will see the Rockets for Game 3 on Tuesday. But for now, sit back, relax and enjoy the only Lakers in-depth post-game report with a nice cool drink!

To the new Los Angeles Lakers fans that are checking us out for the first time, welcome to Lake Show Life Lessons. An extended post-game report with video analysis.

Over the next several pages we will provide highlights of certain players and coaches. Afterward, the comment section is loaded with knowledgeable fans adding their basketball knowledge. We usually start with the stars.

Let’s get to Lesson One!

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