HOUSTON — The Los Angeles Lakers eliminated the Houston Rockets in Game 6 on Friday with a 98-78 victory at Toyota Center, advancing in the NBA playoffs behind a 28-point performance from LeBron James.
James led all scorers in the game and finished the series averaging 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game across six contests. He played 38.5 minutes per game in the series.
The Lakers controlled Game 6 from the second quarter onward, limiting Houston to 78 points. The Rockets scored 13 points in the second quarter while James scored 14 points in the same period.
James said after the game that the team focused on execution and remaining present during the series.
“I think at this point in my career I’ve talked about living in the moment a lot more,” James said.
The Lakers advanced despite entering the series as underdogs in multiple games and managing roster availability issues throughout the round. Guard Austin Reaves returned during the series, while other players, including Luka Dončić, were not fully available during portions of the matchup.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick said the team’s performance resulted from collective effort and defensive execution, noting that Los Angeles held Houston under 100 points in four of six games.
Houston head coach Ime Udoka said earlier in the series that his team had identified tendencies to exploit after gaining momentum with a win in the opening four games. Houston entered Game 6 trailing the series and was eliminated after the loss.
James, 41, has played in 298 career playoff games. He said the team’s approach centered on executing its game plan in high-pressure environments.
“That’s the mission,” James said. “The mission is to go out there in a hostile environment and execute the game plan.”
The Lakers will advance to the next round of the postseason following the series win.