Lake Show Life
Fansided

Los Angeles Lakers: 3 key reasons the Lakers beat the Rockets

By Luca De Angelis

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 12: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball against Robert Covington #33 of the Houston Rockets during the first quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 12, 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 12: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball against Robert Covington #33 of the Houston Rockets during the first quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 12, 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

3. The Los Angeles Lakers’ stars outplayed the Rockets’ stars

In 2020, the NBA is more star-driven than ever. Far more often than not, the team whose stars played the best will win a playoff series. In this particular series, Anthony Davis and LeBron James significantly outplayed James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

Let’s compare their stat lines and shooting splits.

LeBron James

25.8 PPG / 10.4 RPG / 7.4 APG / 2.0 SPG / 1.8 BPG

.511 FG% / .294 3P% / .711 FT% / 116 ORtg / 103 DRtg

Anthony Davis

25.4 PPG / 12.4 RPG / 4.0 APG / 0.8 SPG / 1.4 BPG

.600 FG% / .400 3P% / .806 FT% / 121 ORtg / 107 DRtg

James Harden

29.4 PPG / 4.6 RPG / 7.2 APG / 1.4 SPG / 1.0 BPG

.500 FG% / .378 3P% / .839 FT% / 121 ORtg / 118 DRtg

Russell Westbrook

19.8 PPG / 7.4 RPG / 5.0 APG / 2.0 SPG / 0.4 BPG

.424 FG% / .259 3P% / .538 FT% / 90 ORtg / 114 DRtg

While Harden was outstanding for most of the series with the exception of game 4, Westbrook was downright awful for 2 out of the 5 games. With Anthony Davis and LeBron James are playing at all-world levels, the Rockets simply needed more from their second option on a consistent basis.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers’ superstars proved that they’re “built differently”. They were a tour-de-force on the offensive side of the ball, not only scoring the ball with impunity but at an incredibly efficient level.

When the two best players on the team combine to shoot 55% from the floor for the series at high volume, that’s going to spell trouble for the other team, and it certainly did for Houston.

The top-notch play wasn’t confined to one side of the court, with both players putting forth incredible defensive performances throughout the series.

For Anthony Davis, the DPOY runner-up, that’s been standard fare all year. Having a big man that can not only guard the pick-and-roll but can switch and capably guard all five positions is almost unheard of, providing the Lakers’ defensive schemes with a weapon that not many teams have.

At various moments across the five games, Davis was even forced to guard James Harden and did an outstanding job containing the most gifted offensive player in the game.

However, the trump-card for the series was LeBron James playing at a level defensively that I haven’t seen since the start of his second stint with Cleveland.

https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1303531762971074561

LeBron usually makes great rotations as an off-ball defender, but throughout the series, his on-ball defense was outstanding and he protected the rim at a rate I’ve never seen from him.

Next. 3 reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers would beat the Clippers in a series. dark

Leading into the postseason, I made the case for LeBron and AD as the best duo in basketball, and nothing I’ve seen through the first two rounds of the playoffs has changed my opinion. They are the primary reason the Lakers won this series in five games and no matter who they face in the Western Conference Finals will undoubtedly be the key to the outcome of that series as well.

Home/Lakers News