As a three-game California road trip continues, the Houston Rockets (6-5) lost their second straight contest in Sunday’s 105-104 loss (box score) to the Los Angeles Lakers (8-6). The road swing culminates with Monday’s late game at Golden State.
Houston led for much of the first half, but LeBron James and the Lakers swung things with a 32-20 third quarter, which primarily took place with Alperen Sengun sidelined with four fouls.
Sengun tied the game with 4.0 seconds left on a bucket over James, but James won it with a free throw after drawing a foul on the ensuing inbounds play. Dillon Brooks unsuccessfully gambled for a steal, and the Rockets had little hope but to foul James at the rim.
Standout players for the Rockets included:
- Alperen Sengun: 23 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists; 11-of-16 shooting (68.8%), 1-of-2 on 3-pointers (50.0%), +21 in 31 minutes
- Fred VanVleet: 15 points, 16 assists; 5-of-14 shooting (35.7%), 3-of-10 on 3-pointers (30.0%)
- Dillon Brooks: 24 points, 4 steals; 9-of-21 shooting (42.9%), 6-of-11 on 3-pointers (54.5%)
- Jabari Smith Jr.: 14 points, 5 rebounds; 5-of-10 shooting (50.0%), 2-of-6 on 3-pointers (33.3%)
James led the Lakers with 37 points and 8 assists while shooting 14-of-19 overall (73.7%) and 2-of-5 on 3-pointers (40.0%). Anthony Davis added 27 points and 10 rebounds on 11-of-15 shooting (73.3%), though Sengun drew a sixth foul that forced an early departure.
Here’s our look at highlights and postgame interviews from late Sunday, along with reaction by media members and fans. Next up for Houston is Monday’s road-trip finale in San Francisco versus the Golden State Warriors. Tipoff is set for 9:00 p.m. Central.
Rockets lose another nail-biter in LA, fall 105-104 to the Lakers. Tough defensive choice by Dillon Brooks to let LeBron get free — he gets fouled with 1.9 seconds left and hits 1-2 free throws to win it. Brooks had 24 points, Sengun 21-10-5 and VanVleet handed out 16 assists.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) November 20, 2023
Rockets at home: 6-1 record, 11.0 turnovers per game
Rockets on the road: 0-4 record, 18.0 turnovers per game
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) November 20, 2023
Dillon Brooks unnecessarily overplayed Lebron on the final play and the #Rockets lose. Really awesome to see Sengun play like a real star down the stretch.
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) November 20, 2023
Sengun finishes through LeBron James to tie the game with 4.0 seconds left. What a moment
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) November 20, 2023
That is exactly what happened. The problem is, they did not call it when he grabbed LeBron. If they did, there would have been 4.0 seconds left.
They waited until the third foul, by which point it was too late for Houston to get anything but a heave. https://t.co/GX5M43L8Uq
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) November 20, 2023
Alperen Sengun is clearly the best player on this #Rockets team and that should no longer be controversial
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) November 20, 2023
Alperen Sengun was a +21 in a 1 point loss.. the stretch when he sat was devastating
— Apathetic (@ftank58) November 20, 2023
Rockets had 25 personal fouls .. to lakers 13… we fouled way too much
— Apathetic (@ftank58) November 20, 2023
Alperen Sengun was a +21 tonight in a 1 point game
Criminal that we lost it. Bench lineups were horrific
— StanfordKP (@stanfordkp) November 20, 2023
This team is good. That much is clear.
Don’t think they’re that far from being great but they need more from their young core (not Sengun) and bench.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) November 20, 2023
Alperen Sengun finishes a +21 in 30 minutes. He only played 30 minutes due to foul trouble.
He finished the game with 4 fouls. So dumb. Ime fouled out his best player rather than trust him and that cost him the game.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) November 20, 2023
Udoka said Brooks’ gamble on the entry pass to LeBron that led to the eventual game-winning free throw wasn’t “a smart decision”.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) November 20, 2023
If Jalen was playing like Ant or Maxey .. you’re telling me the rockets aren’t a top 5 team in the west? Like I said this team is a jalen green leap away..
— Apathetic (@ftank58) November 20, 2023
Ime Udoka wants the #Rockets to make quicker decisions: “Sometimes Alperen holding the ball is when we get in trouble. Sometimes the first shot you have is the best look you’re going to get. Pass those up, and they kind of get to swarming a little bit. We passed up some good…
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) November 20, 2023
Anyway, our thoughts on the last 4 seconds not withstanding, the biggest shot of the game was that Reaves 31-footer. That’s what swung it. Total heave, would have otherwise been #Rockets ball, shot clock off.
Sometimes basketball sucks.
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) November 20, 2023
Feels like the #Rockets left two wins in Los Angeles. Part of growing pains, but I like Houston’s future far more than either of these pretenders.
— Adam Clanton (@adamclanton) November 20, 2023
The #Rockets just went to an Alperen Sengun post-up with the game on the line and it worked. Is it 1995?
Sengun just sonned Lebron.
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) November 20, 2023
The Rockets lost but it’s no doubt about Alperen Sengun is turning into a star and I normally don’t just throw that word around are do it for clicks. He is doing it all this season
Career high in points,fg%,assists and efg% pic.twitter.com/PqSu2n2L1n
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) November 20, 2023
Rockets win both games in LA if they’re semi fair officiated, but unfortunately they had to play against some really tough calls, it’s incredible that they had legitimate opportunities to win given what they had to fight through
— Abel (@AbelGe87) November 20, 2023
Brooks said he wasn’t close to getting the steal off the entry pass.
“I should have played straight up and let him shoot over his right shoulder for the game, try to send them to overtime. That was my bad.” https://t.co/NeafUMj9b1
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) November 20, 2023
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