Following an exhilarating double overtime triumph to commence their six-game road journey, the Los Angeles Lakers traveled to Texas to engage in the Houston Rockets on the initial evening of a consecutive set.

The Lakers’ vitality appeared to be sapped away after their victory over the Golden State Warriors, as they were humiliated 135-119 by the Rockets.

D’Angelo Russell maintained his hоt streak to begin the contest by making a pair of jumpers, despite the Rockets’ 15-8 early lead. Midway through the first period, the Lakers increased the score to 22-17 on a 7-0 run that was sparked by Anthony Davis, who had helped the team momentarily fall behind by 10 points.

After burying his second three of the evening, Russell gave Los Angeles their first lead of the evening; however, it was short-lived due to a pair of layups by Jabari Smith Jr. Several transition dunks by Cam Whitmore energized the Rockets’ crowd, and the Lakers entered the second quarter trailing 42-31 after Houston closed the quarter on a run.

Jarred Vanderbilt was expelled from the game subsequent to a dunk charge committed by Dillon Brooks, on the grounds that he engaged in cоnfrоntatiоn and physical contact with Brooks. Los Angeles’ defense began to deteriorate when they conceded nearly unrestricted scoring opportunities to Houston and fell behind by as many as 21 points.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis attempted to narrow the deficit and get the Lakers back into the game by attacking the rim. The tandem was able to ignite the offense, with Los Angeles trailing 78-60 at intermission after consecutive three-pointers from Brooks to conclude the second quarter.

The Rockets increased their lead to 25 points on a lethargic start for the Lakers in the third quarter, during which they allowed a 7-0 run. The situation deteriorated further when Houston gained a 30-point lead, prompting head coach Darvin Ham to call a timeout.

Despite facing a significant deficit, the team’s lack of effort and determination was concerning as Houston continued to exert pressure. Los Angeles reduced the deficit to 21 with a runaway, but Houston responded at the conclusion of the third period to make the score 108-84.

James continued to play in the fourth inning and completed his first triple of the evening. His presence did, however, assist in the inception of a 10-2 run that was halted by a Brooks 3-pointer.

After taking a shot from Brooks, James appeared agitated and became noticeably more аggressive with the basketball. The Lakers closed the gap to ten, but the Rockets’ ability to score one more time effectively extinguished any vestiges of a comeback.

In the future, the Lakers?

As the Lakers face the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday in the second night of a back-to-back set, they have little time to recover. On Thursday, they will face their archrivals, the Boston Celtics.