The Rockets looked like they had a chance of pulling off a stunning comeback after a crazy third quarter in Game 2. LeBron James and the Lakers found a way to right the ship and refused to let the Houston Rockets push them to a 0-2 hole, as they rebounded with a win in Game 2. .
With the series now tied, which team will get the upper hand in Game 3, which starts at 9 AM on September 9, 2020 in Manila time?
HOME TEAM: #4 Houston Rockets (1-1)
The Rockets are going to live and die with their outside shooting, and in Game 2, they had their fate sealed partly because Russell Westbrook could not drain a shot from deep to save his life.
Westbrook came up with only 10 points on a horrible 4-for-15 shooting from the field, including a 1-for-7 line from the deep. Meanwhile, James Harden scored 27 points and Eric Gordon added 24.
Still, the Rockets finished with a 41.5 3FG% (22-53), which allowed them to come back from a huge first-quarter deficit and avoid a lopsided loss.
The Rockets have shown in the past that they can win with only Harden leading the team, but Westbrook can’t allow himself to be a liability either. Westbrook turned the ball over seven times in Game 2, to add to his lackluster performance.
The supporting cast of the Rockets also has to be more involved, particularly Jeff Green and Austin Rivers, who combined for zero points in the loss to the Lakers.
ROAD TEAM: #1 Los Angeles Lakers (1-1)
LeBron James got up from his throne following the Lakers’ Game 1 loss and put on a show last Monday. James muscled his way through Game 2 to finish with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, as he looked unstoppable on offense together with Anthony Davis.
The Brow led the Lakers with 34 points and 10 boards. Surpisingly, it was Rajon Rondo, who laid out the foundation for that huge Lakers win. Rondo had 10 points and nine assists and also recorded five steals. His first six assists came in the first quarter.
Rondo definitely atoned himself with that performance from his so-s0 game in the series opener. Game 2 showed that Rondo can be a significant factor for the Lakers, as his ability to orchestrate the offense help sustain the Lakers’ attack, especially when James is off the floor.
In fact, the Lakers scored 28 points more than Houston when the former Boston Celtics guard was on the court.
PREDICTIONS:
We’ve seen this movie: before. The Lakers losing the series opener before coming out and dominating the rest of the way. But the Rockets are not the Portland Trail Blazers.
We expect the Rockets to fight back with Westbrook showing up with a more efficient shot. We’re taking the Rockets to win Game 3, 117-113.
