Luka Doncic just stole something much more important than a win from the Rockets

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 124-116 on Wednesday night behind 40–point double-double from Luka Doncic. Number 77 wasn’t going to let his team lose with a crucial playoff seeding tiebreaker on the line. It took two straight wins in Houston for the Lakers to secure the season series and get another massive edge in the standings.

The Western Conference race is crowded. LA won their seventh straight and are now 2.5 games clear of the Rockets. The Lakers sit in third, but just four games separate three and seven. Every game matters down the stretch, and the purple and gold are heating up at the right time. They’ve won ten of 11 thanks to making significant defensive improvements. The Lakers are looking like a serious threat and just got closer to securing a playoff berth.

Doncic had 36 points in Monday’s win and followed it with another monster night on Wednesday. He is leading the league in scoring and unleashing his inner Kobe Bryant as Los Angeles makes a push. This was a massive win, and the Lakers have Doncic to thank.

Luka Doncic just stole a crucial tiebreaker from the Rockets

The Lakers are battling the Rockets, Nuggets, and Timberwolves with the Suns lurking in seventh. LA has just 13 games left, so it feels like Phoenix can’t catch them. The Lake Show will be in the top six and now hold the tiebreaker over every team. The Lakers won the season series against all three teams and have the three-team tiebreaker by winning their division.

Doncic is doing exactly what he did in Dallas. The Mavericks got hot starting in early March and rode the momentum to the 2024 NBA Finals. They fell short against the Celtics, but nobody expected Dallas to be one of the last two teams standing. Everyone wrote the Lakers off this season, but they are playing elite basketball behind one of the three best players in the world.

Shooting and defense are keying this run. Doncic is making over 40 percent from long range on massive volume as LA is locking in on defense. Luka has ramped up his activity and is proving to be strong defending on the ball. If the Lakers are getting stops and making threes, they are all but impossible to defeat.

Luka Doncic finished with 40 points, nine rebounds, ten assists, and one steal in 38 minutes of action against the Rockets on Wednesday night. He made 12 of his 25 field goals, including seven 3-pointers. It was an impressive performance, but it took a total team effort.

LeBron had 30 points on 13 of 14 shooting from the field. Deandre Ayton chipped in 16 points and three blocks. The Rockets knew how important this game was, so it took everyone for the Lakers to secure the win. Luka led the charge and has the purple and gold look like a serious threat.

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets in two straight games to secure the playoff seeding tiebreaker between the two teams. Luka Doncic had another masterful performance in Space City. Number 77 is the straw that stirs the drink for the Lakers, and it is all coming together at the right time. LA is a serious title threat, so write them off at your own risk.