Reserves Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith each nailed six three-pointers while scoring 20 points, propelling the Los Angeles Lakers to a 104-98 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday night.
Vincent equaled his season-high for three-pointers, while Finney-Smith set a new personal best for the season. Luka Doncic contributed 20 points, nine assists, and six rebounds for the Lakers (46-29), who secured their second consecutive win and their third in four games.
LeBron James added 16 points and eight rebounds, while Austin Reaves provided 12 points and eight boards for Los Angeles.
Amen Thompson led Houston with 20 points, and Dillon Brooks added 16 for the Rockets (49-27), who hold second place in the Western Conference standings. They maintain a 1.5-game lead over the Denver Nuggets (47-28) and a 2.5-game advantage over the Lakers.
Jabari Smith Jr. recorded 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Alperen Sengun contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Tari Eason added 13 points for Houston, which suffered only its second loss in the last 14 games.
Los Angeles shot 39.3% from the field, converting 16 of 46 (34.8%) three-point attempts. Houston hit 41.6% of their shots, including 10 of 32 (31.2%) from beyond the arc.
A Rui Hachimura dunk extended the Lakers’ lead to 100-95 with just over two minutes left. Thompson responded with a driving basket to cut the deficit to three with 1:12 remaining. Brooks then made one of two free throws with 20.1 seconds left, bringing the Rockets within two points at 100-98.
James sank two free throws with 11.1 seconds remaining and blocked a Sengun shot moments later. Finney-Smith secured the victory with two more free throws in the final seconds.
Earlier, Houston went on an 11-2 run in the third quarter to take a 61-56 lead, capped by a Brooks three-pointer. The Lakers responded by scoring 26 of the next 40 points, with Hachimura’s late three giving them an 82-75 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Houston narrowed the gap early in the final period, but James’ basket pushed the Lakers ahead 93-87 with just over seven minutes remaining. The game was tied at halftime at 48 apiece, with Doncic leading all scorers with 15 points at the break.
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