A narrow 101-94 victory leaves three teams unhappy, with the Rockets facing high elimination odds, and the Thunder and Suns displeased.

On April 22 Beijing time, Game 2 of the NBA playoffs first round commenced. A key matchup just concluded, featuring the Lakers versus the Rockets. After four quarters, three Lakers players scored over 20 points, securing a 101-94 win over the Rockets, leading the series 2-0. This Lakers victory makes three teams unhappy: the Rockets, Thunder, and Suns. The Rockets' elimination probability is rising, while the Thunder and Suns are also displeased!

The Lakers, ranked fourth in the West, faced the fifth-ranked Rockets in the first round. Despite the Lakers' strength being affected by the absence of Doncic and Reaves, they maintained dominance in the first game and defeated the Rockets for an opening win, with Kennard's efficient performance being particularly impressive. Today was the second matchup. Two key Lakers players continued to be absent, while the Rockets had Durant returning, hoping to win a game back. The Lakers aimed to secure another victory. Overall, the game was quite suspenseful!

After the game started, Durant performed efficiently against the Lakers' multi-point offense, but the Lakers later surged with an offensive run to widen the gap. Subsequently, the Lakers employed tactical double-teaming on Durant, causing him frequent turnovers and scoring only 3 points in the second half. Meanwhile, James of the Lakers showed veteran prowess with strong scoring ability and frequent dunks, taking control of the game in the final moments. With support from Smart and Kennard, the Lakers maintained their advantage, ultimately defeating the Rockets again to win, leading the series 2-0!

It was initially thought that the Lakers, being short-handed, would be easy to beat, but unexpectedly the Rockets fell 0-2 behind, truly surprising. With the Lakers winning again, this game leaves three teams unhappy. First, the Rockets: even with Durant returning, they couldn't beat the Lakers, indicating the Rockets are too weak and completely not a match for the Lakers. A third loss would send them home eliminated. Second, the Thunder: the Thunder versus the Suns should be straightforward, with advancement not difficult, but they don't want the Lakers to win so easily. Third, the Suns: although the Suns' chances of winning are slim, they also don't want the Lakers to win without any resistance!

By / Sports Novel