The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 101-94 in Game 2 of their playoff series on Tuesday in Los Angeles, putting Houston down 0-2. Kevin Durant returned from a knee injury but struggled after a strong first quarter, as the Rockets continued to shoot poorly. Despite dominating rebounds and points in the paint, Houston could not overcome its shooting woes against a shorthanded Lakers team.
Less than 30 seconds into the game, Kevin Durant blocked Luke Kennard's shot on the Lakers' first possession, setting a tone early for Houston. Jabari Smith Jr. hit a 3-pointer on the other end, but such moments were rare. The Rockets lost 101-94, mirroring Game 1's pattern of inefficiency despite strong rebounding (42-37), points in the paint (54-34), and second-chance points (21-17). Lakers made nearly twice as many 3-pointers and shot more efficiently on fewer attempts. Durant said, 'We are just not making shots. We aren't shooting the ball well. You getting good looks. We miss a lot of layups. That's the difference in this game.'
