The Los Angeles Lakers took advantage of a Houston Rockets team missing Kevin Durant for a 112-108 win to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round series on Friday night.
LeBron James led the Lakers for 29 points, including a tying 3-pointer with 13 seconds left in regulation.
Marcus Smart added 21 points and 10 assists, and Rui Hachimura added 22 points.
Los Angeles rallied from a six-point deficit with under 30 seconds remaining and can sweep the series Sunday night in Houston.
The Lakers started overtime with a 6-2 run, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Smart to take a 107-103 lead.
On the other hand, Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 33 points and 16 rebounds. Amen Thompson added 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Sengun made a basket for Houston before Smart made two free throws to push the lead to 109-105 with 52 seconds left.
Smart made two free throws with 35.5 seconds to go to make it 111-105.
Reed Sheppard made a 3-pointer to get Houston within three with less than 30 seconds left in overtime, but Smart made 1 of 2 free throws to push the lead to 112-108.
The Rockets were in position to close out the game after James committed consecutive turnovers, which Houston turned into a 101-95 lead.
Los Angeles led by as many as 15 early, but were down six in the fourth before Smart was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 25.4 seconds to go after a Houston turnover and made all three free throws to get the Lakers within three.
The Rockets had a chance to take the lead after that, but Sengun’s 7-footer was off.
Meanwhile, Durant is out for a second game in this series, and now, with a sprained ankle after missing Game 1 with a knee injury.
