Three takeaways from the Rockets’ convincing win over the Lakers

1. The Houston Rockets’ effective offensive execution 

With Westbrook being sidelined, the offense was solely on the shoulders of Harden to lead. He had the ball in his hands the majority of the game when the Rockets were on offense, so the Lakers’ plan throughout the game was to get the ball out of his hands, which would force other players to beat them.

However, the Rockets used the Lakers’ defensive plan to their advantage and made the Lakers look completely lost numerous times throughout the game on defense. The Lakers would send two guys to trap Harden when he was in the corner or at the top of the key, but instead of losing control or making a wrong decision, Harden was patient and dissected the Lakers’ defense all game long.

At times, he decided to take the ball to the basket, and at other times he elected to drive and kick the ball out to one of the Rockets’ shooters. Either way, Harden’s intelligence and the trust he showed in his teammates helped the Rocket as a whole gain the confidence and momentum to defeat the Lakers in exemplary fashion.

Furthermore, the Rockets have proven through the years that they’re a team that lives and dies by the three. In recent playoff history, they’ve lost many games due to their inability to make the three-ball, but last night, they showed how great of a team they are when it’s falling.

Next: Defensive dominance