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Houston Rockets defender Eric Gordon, left, shoots arsenic Los Angeles Lakers guardant Carmelo Anthony defends during the archetypal fractional of an NBA hoops crippled Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates aft scoring a 3 constituent handbasket against KJ Martin #6 of the Houston Rockets during the archetypal fractional astatine Staples Center connected October 31, 2021 successful Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or utilizing this Photograph, idiosyncratic is consenting to the presumption and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers precocious fives Kent Bazemore #9 aft scoring a handbasket against the Houston Rockets during the archetypal fractional astatine Staples Center connected October 31, 2021 successful Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or utilizing this Photograph, idiosyncratic is consenting to the presumption and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the shot against Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets during the archetypal fractional astatine Staples Center connected October 31, 2021 successful Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or utilizing this Photograph, idiosyncratic is consenting to the presumption and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers fouls Jae’Sean Tate #8 of the Houston Rockets during the archetypal fractional astatine Staples Center connected October 31, 2021 successful Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or utilizing this Photograph, idiosyncratic is consenting to the presumption and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers defender Russell Westbrook, left, passes portion nether unit from Houston Rockets halfway Christian Wood during the archetypal fractional of an NBA hoops crippled Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guardant LeBron James, left, shoots arsenic Houston Rockets halfway Alperen Sengun defends during the archetypal fractional of an NBA hoops crippled Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guardant LeBron James, top, shoots arsenic Houston Rockets defender Jalen Green, left, and defender Kevin Porter Jr. support during the archetypal fractional of an NBA hoops crippled Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guardant LeBron James, left, shoots arsenic Houston Rockets defender Kevin Porter Jr. defends during the archetypal fractional of an NBA hoops crippled Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers defender Russell Westbrook, left, passes portion nether unit from Houston Rockets halfway Christian Wood during the archetypal fractional of an NBA hoops crippled Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Red Hot Chili Peppers bass subordinate Michael Balzary, known professionally arsenic Flea, cheers aft the Los Angeles Lakers scored arsenic defender Russell Westbrook stands connected the tribunal during the archetypal fractional of an NBA hoops crippled against the Houston Rockets Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers’ Halloween costumes had a theme: LeBron James dressed arsenic Freddy Krueger from Friday the 13th, Anthony Davis donned a disguise arsenic the Candyman, and Russell Westbrook went arsenic Chucky from Child’s Play.
But creepy make-up and outfits won’t beryllium what gives the Houston Rockets nightmares arsenic they mull implicit their 2nd crippled of this mini-series coming Tuesday night: The Lakers steamrolled them connected the court, without needing a large scoring nighttime from immoderate of their stars.
As improbable arsenic it whitethorn dependable fixed however the Lakers started the season, defence was the cardinal successful a 95-85 triumph implicit the Rockets connected Sunday nighttime astatine Staples Center. After an 0-2 start, the Lakers person present won 4 retired of their past 5 to get rolling successful an admittedly brushed information of their docket for a 4-3 grounds that has them implicit .500 for the archetypal time.
While they had moments connected discourtesy — possibly nary much awesome than a fastbreak reverse jam by James successful the 2nd 4th — the biggest spread betwixt the teams was turnovers. The Rockets had a whopping 27, and against the fast-break adept Lakers, that’s a fatal flaw. The Rockets coiled up taking conscionable 76 shots to the Lakers’ 96, and the last people wasn’t overmuch of an indicator of however one-sided the crippled was.
All those giveaways didn’t nett arsenic galore points arsenic they could have: The Lakers scored 32 points disconnected of Houston’s turnovers, flubbing an awkward fig of fastbreak opportunities including 1 cringe-inducing rim rejection by Kent Bazemore. But it did the job, arsenic the Lakers coiled up with 20 points connected accelerated interruption opportunities.
Of the Big Three, Westbrook led with 20 points, but took 22 shots. None of them were peculiarly efficient: James was 6 for 19 with 15 points and 8 assists, portion Davis was 7 for 17 with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
The champion scorer for either squad was Carmelo Anthony (23 points), who started a red-hot 5 for 6 from the level arsenic the Lakers led arsenic overmuch by 28 points. He besides achieved a milestone that helium hadn’t notched successful astir 18 years: Anthony had 4 blocks and 2 steals, pushing backmost connected immoderate critiques of his defence truthful acold this season.
The crippled was notable for the team’s determination to commencement tiny for the archetypal clip this season: Davis began the crippled astatine center, portion Avery Bradley replaced DeAndre Jordan to springiness the Lakers an further guard.
It was difficult, however, to definitively reason whether it was a nett affirmative for the Lakers, who didn’t marque the astir of their improved spacing and changeable conscionable 40.6% arsenic a squad from the floor. Bradley coiled up with 2 points and 3 steals successful 30 minutes, portion Jordan had a coagulated nighttime of 8 points and 2 blocks portion filling successful for an injured Dwight Howard.
In the 4th quarter, the Rockets weren’t rather snuffed, clawing backmost to wrong 11 points connected a dunk by Kenyon Martin Jr. — an hostile whose begetter went head-to-head with respective of the Lakers connected the tribunal backmost successful the day. After a timeout, the Lakers responded by slowing down the gait to tally a play to get Westbrook a lay-up.
There would beryllium nary precocious surge by the Rockets, with the Lakers peculiarly connected defender since blowing a 26-point pb successful Oklahoma City earlier successful the week. James’ beingness played a large relation connected the antiaircraft end, too: He had 4 steals and a block.
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