The Los Angeles Lakers are in danger of becoming the first team in NBA playoffs history to squander a 3-0 series lead. Former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins is convinced the Houston Rockets will pull off the miraculous comeback by prevailing in Game 6 on Friday and a possible Game 7 on Sunday.
Perkins believes the Lakers “blew it” by not closing out the series in Wednesday’s Game 5 at home and will now pay the ultimate price for giving the Rockets confidence.
“That was a must-win situation for the Lakers last night and they [expletive] blew it,” Perkins said on the “Road Trippin Show” podcast.
Rockets Gain Ground vs Lakers
Perkins continued.
“I said the Rockets are the dumbest team in the postseason, well, guess who’s right behind them? The Los Angeles Lakers. The start of that game was making my damn skin crawl. The amount of [expletive] turnovers that was happening on both sides.
“I was like, I know you didn’t just throw that pass. Şengün, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith they all been coming out publicly saying some things, and to be honest, it’s been real.
“Believe Jabari Smith said we’re the more talented team, he’s not [expletive] lying and it’s showing right now.”
With their wins in Games 4 and 5, the Rockets became just the 16th team to force a Game 6 after dropping the first three games of a seven-game playoff series.
Lakers Will Make Infamous History
Only four of those 16 teams forced a Game 7 in the same scenario. Oddsmakers are backing the Rockets to become the fifth, with Ime Udoka’s team entering Friday’s Game 6 as –3.5-point favorites to tie up the series and force a Game 7 back in Los Angeles.
For what it’s worth, teams are 160-0 in the NBA playoffs when they jump out to a 3-0 series lead. The Lakers will make infamous history if they lose the next two games.
Entering the series, the Lakers were massive +550 underdogs due to the injuries to Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique). However, LeBron James and Co. shockingly went up 3-0 after Houston blew a six-point lead with less than 30 seconds in a heartbreaking Game 3 loss. The Rockets could have easily waved the white flag after their Game 3 loss, but they persevered and flipped the series on its head.
Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. felt his team’s heartbreaking Game 3 loss was a teachable moment.
“I think it was just a learning moment. And I feel like we grew up. We’re growing up together,” Smith said, via ESPN’s Kris Rhim.
“And it’s just good to see Reed bounce back from the mistake, me bounce back from the mistake. … A week ago, we folded and lost the game, you know what I’m saying? So I think that’s a step in the right direction.”
Second-year guard Reed Sheppard echoed those sentiments.
“We definitely remember what happened in Game 3, and we didn’t want to let that happen again,” said Sheppard, who had 12 points and six assists in Game 5.
Lakers vs Rockets Game 6 will tip off at 6:30 p.m. PT on Friday.
Lakers Hit With Concerning Verdict Before Game 6 vs Rockets