- Advertisement -Newspaper WordPress Theme
SportsNBA: Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith make history for Lakers against Rockets

NBA: Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith make history for Lakers against Rockets


The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets in a thriller, 104-98, on Monday, March 31, at Crypto. Com Arena. Bench duo Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith had a top-flight shooting performance.

Vincent and Finney-Smith combined to hit six three-pointers each, and each scored 20 points as they led the Lakers (46-29) to their third in four games. Luka Doncic had a well-rounded game with 20 points, nine assists, and six rebounds, while LeBron James scored 16 points, eight rebounds, and a decisive block in the closing seconds.

While the Lakers duo, Doncic and James, faced defensive pressure, Vincent and Finney-Smith stepped in, contributing to 12 of the team’s 16 three-pointers. The Lakers shot 39.3% from the field and 34.8% from beyond the arc, relying on their perimeter shooting to outlast Houston.

“It was all about staying ready,” Vincent said postgame. “LeBron and Luka created great looks for us, and we just had to knock them down.”

The Rockets (49-27), led by Amen Thompson’s 20 points, saw their late-game rally fall short. Dillon Brooks added 16 points, while Jabari Smith Jr. tallied a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Late-game Drama

A crucial moment came with just over a minute remaining when Thompson’s layup cut the Lakers’ lead to 100-98. After Brooks split a pair of free throws, James calmly converted two from the line with 11.1 seconds left, extending the lead to four.

James delivered a highlight-reel block on Alperen Sengun’s layup attempt on the following possession, securing the win. Finney-Smith then iced the game with two free throws in the final seconds.

After this win, the Lakers tightened their spot on the fourth seed in the Western Conference and sit just 1.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets for third place. Houston remains in second place but now faces pressure from Denver and Los Angeles with just six games left in the regular season.

The Lakers will enjoy a rare two-day rest before hosting the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, while the Rockets return home to face the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

Key Stats:

  • Gabe Vincent: 20 points, 6-of-9 from three
  • Dorian Finney-Smith: 20 points, 6-of-10 from three
  • Luka Doncic: 20 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds
  • LeBron James: 16 points, 8 rebounds, 2 clutch free throws, 1 game-saving block
  • Amen Thompson (HOU): 20 points, 6 rebounds

Published By:

Aashish Vashistha

Published On:

Apr 1, 2025



Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Subscribe Today

GET EXCLUSIVE FULL ACCESS TO PREMIUM CONTENT

SUPPORT NONPROFIT JOURNALISM

EXPERT ANALYSIS OF AND EMERGING TRENDS IN CHILD WELFARE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE

TOPICAL VIDEO WEBINARS

Get unlimited access to our EXCLUSIVE Content and our archive of subscriber stories.

Exclusive content

- Advertisement -Newspaper WordPress Theme

Latest article

More article

- Advertisement -Newspaper WordPress Theme