IZTOK FRANKO: LAKERS-ROCKETS GAME 3: WHAT I’M WATCHING!

April 24, 2026 at 8:10 am

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

All eyes on Ime Udoka and the Rockets.

The Lakers are the biggest surprise of the playoffs so far. Two wins over Houston, and along with the juggernaut in OKC, they’re the only unbeaten team left in the postseason.

Now the series shifts to Houston, and this is a crucial game for the Rockets. Lose, and they fall into a 0–3 hole that’s impossible to climb out of (teams leading 3–0 are 159–0 all-time), the kind that can trigger a self-destruct and major offseason changes.

A win, though, could change the picture completely. Suddenly it’s 2–1, with a chance to even the series on Sunday and reset everything at 2–2.

If the Rockets are in full desperation mode, the Lakers can be calm, but not complacent. They need one win in the next two games in Houston to keep the advantage they built with their hard work in the first two games.

Here are the key storylines I’m watching in Game 3 tonight.

Injury report watch

Injuries have defined this matchup from the start. The Lakers have been without their two stars, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, while Kevin Durant’s unexpected absence in Game 1 with a bruised knee shifted the balance early in the series.

Now comes another surprising twist before Game 3. Durant is back on the report, listed as questionable again—this time with an ankle sprain. And on the other side, Reaves, just 22 days removed from the oblique strain he suffered in Oklahoma City and after beginning his return-to-play work earlier this week, is also listed as questionable. Jake LaRavia practiced yesterday and is good to go after tweaking his ankle in Game 2.

In my preview series coverage, I went into detail on how big of an impact Durant has on Udoka’s lineup decisions and overall strategy. The Rockets leaned into bigger lineups in Game 2 with KD in the mix, and much of their offense revolved around trying to solve 4-on-3 situations after their best shotmaker was blitzed. I expect Durant to play, but if he’s not able to go, the Rockets—like in Game 1—will have to rely on smaller lineups, with more players for LeBron James and the Lakers to attack.

I would be surprised if Reaves makes his return tonight, especially with the Lakers in a favorable position. Giving him extra time for a full recovery and a potential return at home in Game 5 or even Game 6 seems more likely. If Reaves does make a surprising return, even in a limited bench role, it would provide a huge boost and much-needed relief for JJ Redick’s very short eight-man rotation. Bronny James has struggled as the ninth man and as a ballhandler, while Hachimura, Kennard, LeBron, and Smart have all been logging heavy minutes—a load that will be hard to sustain if the series goes deeper.

Just adding 20 to 25 minutes of Reaves would allow Redick to reduce the average workload of his top four players by three to four minutes per game.

What I’m watching: Rockets

I’ll start with Udoka’s team, which has been under nationwide scrutiny over the past two days after high-profile struggles to solve their offensive woes and the Lakers’ different blitzing coverages on Durant.

Will Alperen Sengun step up? Most of the heat for the Rockets’ struggles has gone to Udoka and Durant, but I’m not sure the Rockets—or KD himself—have the creativity or playmaking/decision-making to suddenly solve these problems differently. That’s why Sengun is key. He’s the most frequently used release valve in those 4-on-3 situations. Sengun hasn’t been able to punish the Lakers as a scorer in the paint, either in isolation against Deandre Ayton or on the short roll out of the blitz. He’s shooting just 38% in the series and is only 5-of-21 on non-rim paint shots. As long as that remains the case, the Lakers will continue to trap Durant aggressively.

Will we see more aggressive Rockets pressure? Apart from occasional flashes, we haven’t really seen the Rockets rattle the Lakers with their aggressiveness and pressure. Amen Thompson has been a big disappointment in this series, with defensive breakdowns and getting scored on by both Kennard and Smart. Thompson did manage to force two turnovers while pressuring Kennard in the second half of Game 2, including an 8-second violation and a half-court violation, and I expect the Rockets to turn it up from the jump in their home arena.

Will Udoka shorten his leash on Sheppard and recognize the value of guard play? I’ll save the bigger-picture takeaways for my offseason NBA Trends series, but one early impression from the first round is clear: with the rise of aggressiveness and pressure, players who can handle the ball have become more valuable. It’s almost like rock-paper-scissors. Aggressive teams loaded with wing defenders—like the Rockets, Magic, and Hawks—often lack the ballhandling to handle that same pressure on the other end. Apart from shooting, the Lakers’ biggest edge in this series has been the guard play and ability to get downhill from Kennard and Smart. We’re seeing it in other series. Ayo Dosunmu has been a difference-maker for the Timberwolves. C.J. McCollum for the Hawks. Scoot Henderson for the Trail Blazers. Reed Sheppard is the obvious—and really the only—option for Udoka to provide that, but he’s also a target LeBron and Smart will hunt at every opportunity. Udoka’s typical strategy is to overwhelm opponents with size, defense, and physicality, but his team has yet to score 100 points in this series. With his back against the wall, we’ll see if he’s willing to go against his principles.

What I’m watching: Lakers

What happens if the shots don’t fall early? Sengun’s “we’ve beaten them in every stat except making shots” quote went viral yesterday. And statistically, he’s right—the Rockets are dominating the glass and clearly winning the possession battle. But shooting, or simply putting the ball in the basket, is still the most important thing in basketball.

The Lakers have more elite shooters and finishers like Kennard, Hachimura, and Ayton, but they’ve also gotten production from more streaky shooters. Smart is shooting 50% from three, and LeBron is at 43%. What happens if that cools off? If Smart has an off shooting night, or if James regresses from the perimeter?

The Lakers currently lead the playoffs with an effective field goal percentage of almost 62%, and that’s not sustainable. If that drops—or if the Rockets get closer to matching their shotmaking in front of their home crowd—the Lakers will have to find other ways to win the margins: turnovers, rebounding, the areas Sengun was pointing to.

Can the Lakers get anything out of their bench? The starters have been excellent for Redick, with all five averaging 12.5 points and impressing with a balanced shot distribution. But the bench trio of LaRavia, Hayes, and Vanderbilt has been a non-factor, scoring just 19 total points across both games. This is where a potential Reaves return in this series would be a huge boost. Not only would he add another scoring option, but also another way—through the free-throw line—to keep the offense afloat if the shooting cools off.

Can the Lakers get more out of Deandre Ayton? Ayton’s defense and containment of Sengun have been key to the Lakers’ success—really all they could ask for on that end. Offensively, though, he’s been more up and down. After scoring 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting in Game 1, he had just six in Game 2.

If Reaves doesn’t return, and the Rockets do a better job containing Smart and Kennard, Hachimura and Ayton are the two places to look for increased usage. Unlike Hachimura, who’s battling Houston’s wing length, Ayton has a clear size advantage over Sengun and the rest of the Rockets’ frontcourt.

In the third quarter of Game 2, Redick and LeBron did a great job leveraging Ayton as a roll man in pick-and-roll—flanked by shooters in Kennard and Hachimura, with additional off-ball screening to make tagging the roll and helping Sengun a risky proposition.

If the Lakers’ outside shooting regresses, the best alternative is to compensate with high-value looks for Ayton, either as a roller or in favorable matchups in the paint. It feels like the Lakers will need at least one more big scoring game from him to steal another win.

Comments

LakerTom says

April 24, 2026 at 8:10 am

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

All eyes on Ime Udoka and the Rockets.

The Lakers are the biggest surprise of the playoffs so far. Two wins over Houston, and along with the juggernaut in OKC, they’re the only unbeaten team left in the postseason.

Now the series shifts to Houston, and this is a crucial game for the Rockets. Lose, and they fall into a 0–3 hole that’s impossible to climb out of (teams leading 3–0 are 159–0 all-time), the kind that can trigger a self-destruct and major offseason changes.

A win, though, could change the picture completely. Suddenly it’s 2–1, with a chance to even the series on Sunday and reset everything at 2–2.

If the Rockets are in full desperation mode, the Lakers can be calm, but not complacent. They need one win in the next two games in Houston to keep the advantage they built with their hard work in the first two games.

Here are the key storylines I’m watching in Game 3 tonight.

Injury report watch

Injuries have defined this matchup from the start. The Lakers have been without their two stars, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, while Kevin Durant’s unexpected absence in Game 1 with a bruised knee shifted the balance early in the series.

Now comes another surprising twist before Game 3. Durant is back on the report, listed as questionable again—this time with an ankle sprain. And on the other side, Reaves, just 22 days removed from the oblique strain he suffered in Oklahoma City and after beginning his return-to-play work earlier this week, is also listed as questionable. Jake LaRavia practiced yesterday and is good to go after tweaking his ankle in Game 2.

In my preview series coverage, I went into detail on how big of an impact Durant has on Udoka’s lineup decisions and overall strategy. The Rockets leaned into bigger lineups in Game 2 with KD in the mix, and much of their offense revolved around trying to solve 4-on-3 situations after their best shotmaker was blitzed. I expect Durant to play, but if he’s not able to go, the Rockets—like in Game 1—will have to rely on smaller lineups, with more players for LeBron James and the Lakers to attack.

I would be surprised if Reaves makes his return tonight, especially with the Lakers in a favorable position. Giving him extra time for a full recovery and a potential return at home in Game 5 or even Game 6 seems more likely. If Reaves does make a surprising return, even in a limited bench role, it would provide a huge boost and much-needed relief for JJ Redick’s very short eight-man rotation. Bronny James has struggled as the ninth man and as a ballhandler, while Hachimura, Kennard, LeBron, and Smart have all been logging heavy minutes—a load that will be hard to sustain if the series goes deeper.

Just adding 20 to 25 minutes of Reaves would allow Redick to reduce the average workload of his top four players by three to four minutes per game.

What I’m watching: Rockets

I’ll start with Udoka’s team, which has been under nationwide scrutiny over the past two days after high-profile struggles to solve their offensive woes and the Lakers’ different blitzing coverages on Durant.

Will Alperen Sengun step up? Most of the heat for the Rockets’ struggles has gone to Udoka and Durant, but I’m not sure the Rockets—or KD himself—have the creativity or playmaking/decision-making to suddenly solve these problems differently. That’s why Sengun is key. He’s the most frequently used release valve in those 4-on-3 situations. Sengun hasn’t been able to punish the Lakers as a scorer in the paint, either in isolation against Deandre Ayton or on the short roll out of the blitz. He’s shooting just 38% in the series and is only 5-of-21 on non-rim paint shots. As long as that remains the case, the Lakers will continue to trap Durant aggressively.

Will we see more aggressive Rockets pressure? Apart from occasional flashes, we haven’t really seen the Rockets rattle the Lakers with their aggressiveness and pressure. Amen Thompson has been a big disappointment in this series, with defensive breakdowns and getting scored on by both Kennard and Smart. Thompson did manage to force two turnovers while pressuring Kennard in the second half of Game 2, including an 8-second violation and a half-court violation, and I expect the Rockets to turn it up from the jump in their home arena.

Will Udoka shorten his leash on Sheppard and recognize the value of guard play? I’ll save the bigger-picture takeaways for my offseason NBA Trends series, but one early impression from the first round is clear: with the rise of aggressiveness and pressure, players who can handle the ball have become more valuable. It’s almost like rock-paper-scissors. Aggressive teams loaded with wing defenders—like the Rockets, Magic, and Hawks—often lack the ballhandling to handle that same pressure on the other end. Apart from shooting, the Lakers’ biggest edge in this series has been the guard play and ability to get downhill from Kennard and Smart. We’re seeing it in other series. Ayo Dosunmu has been a difference-maker for the Timberwolves. C.J. McCollum for the Hawks. Scoot Henderson for the Trail Blazers. Reed Sheppard is the obvious—and really the only—option for Udoka to provide that, but he’s also a target LeBron and Smart will hunt at every opportunity. Udoka’s typical strategy is to overwhelm opponents with size, defense, and physicality, but his team has yet to score 100 points in this series. With his back against the wall, we’ll see if he’s willing to go against his principles.

What I’m watching: Lakers

What happens if the shots don’t fall early? Sengun’s “we’ve beaten them in every stat except making shots” quote went viral yesterday. And statistically, he’s right—the Rockets are dominating the glass and clearly winning the possession battle. But shooting, or simply putting the ball in the basket, is still the most important thing in basketball.

The Lakers have more elite shooters and finishers like Kennard, Hachimura, and Ayton, but they’ve also gotten production from more streaky shooters. Smart is shooting 50% from three, and LeBron is at 43%. What happens if that cools off? If Smart has an off shooting night, or if James regresses from the perimeter?

The Lakers currently lead the playoffs with an effective field goal percentage of almost 62%, and that’s not sustainable. If that drops—or if the Rockets get closer to matching their shotmaking in front of their home crowd—the Lakers will have to find other ways to win the margins: turnovers, rebounding, the areas Sengun was pointing to.

Can the Lakers get anything out of their bench? The starters have been excellent for Redick, with all five averaging 12.5 points and impressing with a balanced shot distribution. But the bench trio of LaRavia, Hayes, and Vanderbilt has been a non-factor, scoring just 19 total points across both games. This is where a potential Reaves return in this series would be a huge boost. Not only would he add another scoring option, but also another way—through the free-throw line—to keep the offense afloat if the shooting cools off.

Can the Lakers get more out of Deandre Ayton? Ayton’s defense and containment of Sengun have been key to the Lakers’ success—really all they could ask for on that end. Offensively, though, he’s been more up and down. After scoring 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting in Game 1, he had just six in Game 2.

If Reaves doesn’t return, and the Rockets do a better job containing Smart and Kennard, Hachimura and Ayton are the two places to look for increased usage. Unlike Hachimura, who’s battling Houston’s wing length, Ayton has a clear size advantage over Sengun and the rest of the Rockets’ frontcourt.

In the third quarter of Game 2, Redick and LeBron did a great job leveraging Ayton as a roll man in pick-and-roll—flanked by shooters in Kennard and Hachimura, with additional off-ball screening to make tagging the roll and helping Sengun a risky proposition.

If the Lakers’ outside shooting regresses, the best alternative is to compensate with high-value looks for Ayton, either as a roller or in favorable matchups in the paint. It feels like the Lakers will need at least one more big scoring game from him to steal another win.

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