HOUSTON — Technically, the Lakers had not gotten across the finish line yet — 35 seconds and a five-point lead still flashed on the overtime clock hovering over Toyota Center  — but the teary-eyed look of defeat across every member in red as they trudged back on the floor told a painful, regretful tale. The white flag had already fallen out of their collective pocket. 

In the blink of an eye, the Rockets had gone from hopeful to horrendous. The valiant efforts taken to eradicate a 15-point deficit and turn it into a six-point lead were now wiped from memory. A series of critical errors in a span of roughly half a minute — a pair of careless turnovers by Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard, leading to a pair of subsequent steals by Marcus Smart and LeBron James — highlighted the spectrum of experience that has spanned across three games this series and what ultimately threatens Houston’s existence. 

The tunnel that connects both locker rooms depicted just as much; cheers and high-fives at one end, silence and shuffling of feet at the other. The Rockets, for large portions of Game 3, had no business being in that contest, yet failed to grasp the olive branch the Lakers dangled out on Friday evening; a reminder that life is all about second chances, just not in April. 

“Horrendous mistakes,” head coach Ime Udoka said following Houston’s 112-108 overtime loss that pushed his team into a 3-0 hole after it had a 99.8% chance of winning with a six-point lead in the final 35 seconds of regulation, according to InPredictable. “I don’t know if you want to say youth, scared of the moment or whatever the case, but you have a six-point lead with 30 seconds to go. Just have to hold the ball and get fouled. To combat it, make it worse and [commit] a terrible foul, another turnover and James makes a tough shot. And then the final play for the last shot, we don’t run what was drawn up. All of the above.”

The bitter truth for the Rockets, as they stare at a deficit no team in NBA history has ever come back from, is that this game and series is a microcosm of the issues that have plagued them since October. For the third straight game, the Rockets attempted more field goals (19 more, to be exact) than Los Angeles. They snagged twice as many offensive rebounds (18 to 9) as their opponent, scored more points off those second chances, turned the ball over less and scored more in transition and also in the restricted area. From a pure possessional standpoint, the crux of which today’s basketball — and especially the postseason — is based upon, there’s not much more the Rockets could have done structurally speaking. 

But the problems, oh the problems, are aplenty. Houston generated a meager 85.9 points per 100 half-court possessions, a rate worse than Utah, Sacramento, every modern tanking team known to mankind and the Sunday rec league faithfuls. The Rockets, a low-volume 3-point shooting team by nature, have been forced out in the middle of the dance floor of a middle-school homecoming, and, like an awkward teenager, have been embarrassed, shooting just 28.7% from long distance, third-worst among playoff teams. 

Without Kevin Durant, who missed Game 3 nursing an ankle sprain, one could have assumed the Lakers, who had already built a reputation on doubling and trapping the veteran scorer, would dial down their attempts. Not only did Los Angeles continue to mix in traps and doubles for both Reed Sheppard and Alperen Şengün — who missed 27 combined shots and turned the ball over eight times — but they consistently forced Houston to take low-percentage shots. During the regular season, Durant-less lineups had an effective field-goal percentage of just 53.1%, with a poor turnover and free-throw rate. That same monster reared its ugly head in Game 3, with the Rockets finishing with a 46.4 effective field-goal percentage, turning the ball over on nearly 17% of possessions and finishing with a negative free-throw rate — despite posting otherworldly offensive rebounding numbers. 

(With or without Durant in Game 4, the Rockets desperately need both Şengün and Sheppard to come with elimination-level desperation and efficiency. Şengün took three quarters to arrive at the party, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, but rushed his final few possessions. Sheppard, for all intents and purposes, struggled against the Lakers’ size and strength and looks overmatched physically in the series.)

“It wasn’t enough,” Şengün said. “I guess I could have done more on defensive positions, some missed shots. I still did a good job, but like I said, it wasn’t enough, so I’ve got to come better on Sunday.”

Game 4 on Sunday, Houston’s last chance of survival, will require a collective energy unseen in these parts this season. Despite the loss, there are certainly positive takeaways that should spill over. The Rockets did a phenomenal job in the second half defensively, leaning on their brute force, switching and taking away some of the Lakers’ go-to actions, holding them to just 38 points in the second half. Smith, who finished with 24 points and shot 6-of-10 from 3, displayed the combination of aggression, versatility and shot-making that this team has been crying out for since he was drafted in 2022. Amen Thompson, with 26 points and 11 rebounds, was a decisive downhill force and found success when the Lakers extended their defensive shell. 

But if LeBron and Smart continue to turn back the clock, if Rui Hachimura continues to score efficiently and if Bronny James, with five points in nine minutes, is going to outscore Houston’s entire bench again, Cancun is going to become quite populated in the very near future. 

“This is very, very disappointing,” Smith said. “So definitely a terrible feeling, but from here on out we got to win. Every game is a Game 7 and got to dig deep, find it and win four in a row.”

Things didn’t start great for the Houston Rockets on Friday.

Kevin Durant was ruled out of Game 3 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers because of a sprained ankle with L.A. leading the series 2-0.

It only got worse from there.

Houston blew a six-point lead in the final 30 seconds as LeBron James hit a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left that forced overtime in the Lakers’ eventual 112-108 victory that pushed their series lead to 3-0.

Everyone knows what a 3-0 lead means in a best-of-seven series, but here are the key takeaways from a Game 3 that feels like the Lakers stole it.

Reed Sheppard may not be the answer

Durant's late scratch from Ime Udoka's starting lineup forced his hand to start third-year guard Reed Sheppard, but the young sharpshooter struggled overall, finishing with 17 points on 6-of-21 shooting from the floor and 4-of-13 from deep, and it was his turnover that led to James’ heroic 3.

The 21-year-old had a few bright moments attacking closeouts and a rare drive-and-finish with contact, but he fell victim to the Lakers’ pressure more often than not, finishing with five turnovers. Sheppard's ability to space the floor and operate as a primary and secondary ball-handler has been vital in Houston's offensively challenged season, but his shortcomings — namely, defensively — have been utterly exposed over the course of the series.

Sheppard is an aggressive defensive playmaker who certainly doesn't lack in effort, but his size and level of physicality aren't enough to keep up with a very lengthy, tough Lakers group. It's apparent Udoka is hesitant to play Sheppard alongside Alperen Şengün for coverage reasons, but if Sheppard’s jump shot isn't falling, which could potentially offset issues at the other end, his minutes become challenging to overcome or maximize. (It doesn't help matters that Şengün continues to shoot ineffectively — 27 shots for 33 points on Friday night — and is unable to take advantage of post-ups against smaller defenders and convert at the rim.) Whether Durant is able to go in Game 4 or not, Sheppard — and Şengün — must be sustainable offensive sources or the Rockets' season is over.

Rui Hachimura’s emerging role

Because of the national storylines that have dominated this series — one more matchup between LeBron James and Durant, the absences of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves — not much attention has been paid to Rui Hachimura, the calm, composed presence paying dividends for an in-control Lakers team.

Hachimura, averaging a modest 13.5 points this series, absolutely lit up the Rockets for 16 first-quarter points on 6-of-6 shooting, giving the Lakers an adequate cushion in an important road Game 3.

Head coach JJ Redick has used Hachimura in a plethora of ways; as a screen setter for ball-handers, as a floor spacer and also as a play finisher. His combination of size and high release point makes him a difficult cover for any of Houston’s defenders, and his quiet consistency has been a bright spot all season and a much-needed source of scoring while Dončić and Reaves remain sidelined. Hachimura finished with 22 points and hit four of his seven 3-point attempts.

Lakers’ defense continues to deliver

The Lakers, who have seemingly pinned the Rockets back offensively by a fluid defensive scheme, continue to impress. With Durant missing, the prevailing thought was whether that would taper Los Angeles' propensity for frequent traps and doubles, allowing Houston to play 5-on-5 basketball. That was anything but the case.

The Lakers mixed in varying waves of pressure, whether it was by sending random doubles at Sheppard and Şengün, trapping at odd angles or making the opposition work late into the shot clock, resulting in low-percentage shots. On drives, the Lakers made sure to have multiple players with hands and feet in the way, rotating at the rim and making life difficult for the Rockets in the paint.

In addition, Redick seems to have placed a great deal of importance on getting back in transition, limiting the league’s fourth-most-efficient regular-season transition unit to only 15 fast-break points in Game 3. The Lakers prevented a number of surefire makes in transition, the biggest reason why the Rockets rank among the bottom six in playoff transition efficiency.

Jabari Smith Jr. making an impact

Regardless of what ultimately happens to Houston in this series, the version of Jabari Smith Jr. the Rockets got in Game 3 — the confident, aggressive, three-level shot taker — is what this team needs moving forward on a nightly basis.

Smith was in a groove on Friday night, ending his night with 24 points on impressive 6-or-10 shooting from deep. His importance as a glue guy and connective tissue has spearheaded his time as a Rocket, but what has stopped him from taking the next step has been the ability to make smaller defenders pay.

A fluid, efficient Smith, paired with Durant, suddenly makes Houston's half-court attack that much more potent, reduces Los Angeles' defensive gambles and creates an additional consistent threat on the floor. Houston needs that now more than ever.