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Turkish center Alperen Sengun finished with 17 points, but the Houston Rockets fell short as the Los Angeles Lakers closed out the first-round series with a 98-78 win, sealing a 4-2 result and advancing to the Western Conference semifinals in the NBA playoffs on Friday.
LeBron James led the way with 28 points, setting the pace early as Los Angeles took control and kept Houston at a distance throughout. The Lakers also stood out on defense, holding the Rockets to their lowest scoring output of the season.
The game shifted quickly in the first half when Los Angeles went on a 27-3 run to open up a double-digit lead. By halftime, the Lakers were up 48-31 and continued to build the gap after the break.
The margin reached 22 points in the third quarter, with Los Angeles entering the final period ahead 71-55. They carried that momentum into the fourth and did not let Houston close in.
Rui Hachimura helped stretch the lead further with a strong scoring burst, finishing with 21 points and five three-pointers.
Austin Reaves added 15 points, while Deandre Ayton contributed 7 points and 16 rebounds, giving Los Angeles a steady presence inside.
The Lakers moved into the second round for the first time since 2023, despite missing Luka Doncic for the entire series.
Houston had forced its way back into the series after trailing 3-0, picking up two straight wins to stay alive. That push, however, ended in Game 6.
Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 18 points, while Sengun followed with 17.
The absence of Kevin Durant for much of the series also weighed on Houston, which exits in the first round for a second straight season.
With the series wrapped up, Los Angeles now heads into a second-round matchup against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. The opener is scheduled for Tuesday in Oklahoma City.
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