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The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t won a playoff series since 2023, when they reached the Western Conference Finals as the No. 7 seed. 

They lost in the first round in 2024 and 2025 but are one victory from the conference semifinals. Despite the absence of leading scorers and essential playmakers Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves due to injuries, the Lakers have taken a surprising 3-1 series lead in their first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets. 

LeBron James, at 41 years old, has been (mostly) sensational, and the Lakers have received greater-than-expected production from Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart, who were thrust into the starting lineup with Dončić and Reaves sidelined. 

Can James pull the Lakers to another victory? Game 5 is Wednesday in Los Angeles (10 p.m. ET, ESPN). The winner of the Rockets-Lakers series will play Oklahoma City in the conference semifinals. The Thunder swept Phoenix to advance. 

Here are three things to watch in Game 5 of Rockets-Lakers:

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1. Does James have a bounce-back game?

In the first three games of this series, James averaged 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 2.0 steals and shot 47.4% from the field and 43.8% on 3-pointers. It helped the Lakers to a 3-0 series lead. 

In Houston’s 115-96 Game 4 victory, James had 10 points on 2-for-9 shooting (0-for-3 on 3-pointers), nine assists, four rebounds and eight turnovers. 

James’ teams are 41-14 in closeout games, according to statmuse.com, and with his team one victory from clinching a series, James has not lost two closeout games consecutively since 2006. In those 55 closeout games, James averaged 28 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists. 

2. Injury updates for Lakers, Rockets

Rockets star Kevin Durant missed Game 1 with a bruised right knee and missed Games 3-4 with a left ankle sprain and bone bruise and has been listed as out for Game 5. 

Reaves (strained left oblique) is getting closer to getting back on the court. He was upgraded to questionable before Game 4 but did not play. He’s listed as questionable for Game 5. There is a chance he plays in Game 5, and it’s unlikely Dončić (strained left hamstring) plays in the Rockets series.  

Reaves (23.3 points, 5.5 assists per game) would give the Lakers another ballhandler and playmaker to help James. 

3. Can the Rockets make the series interesting?

Winning Game 5 and going back to Houston with a chance to tie the series and force a Game 7 would turn up the pressure on the Lakers, who jumped to a 3-0 series lead. They played well enough to win Game 3 without Durant and took Game 4 with him on the bench. In the last game, Houston found defensive success by switching and forcing turnovers, and its starting five produced 95 of the team’s 115 points, led by Amen Thompson’s 23 and Alperen Sengun’s 19. 

It won’t be easy against James and the Lakers in Los Angeles, but the Rockets are talented enough and young enough not to dwell on what has amounted to insurmountable odds for a team trailing 3-0 in an NBA playoff series. No team has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. Teams trailing are 0-159. 

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Jeff Zillgitt has covered the NBA since 2008. You can email him at jzillgitt@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.

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This series is deadlocked and so is the momentum. It’s anyone’s guess as to which team moves on to the Eastern Conference semifinals, and in that sense, the Cleveland Cavaliers must be feeling a bit dizzy right now.

They built a 2-0 lead and looked dominant while doing so, only to flutter helplessly in Toronto and allow the Raptors to pull even. That’s more of an indictment against the Cavs, who do have the advantage of home court, which could swing in their favor, starting with Game 5 on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Much will fall on the reputations and shoulders of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. The duo worked so wondrously in the first two games … and then, at times, became victims of their own mistakes and missed shots in the two Cleveland losses.

The Raptors have shown they can take a punch and not only survive, but give a strong response. And they still haven’t seen Brandon Ingram’s A-game yet.

If he starts connecting, and he’s certainly due, the Raptors might find themselves going home with a chance to close out the series.

Yes, the situation is that delicate between the Cavs and Raptors. Here’s what to watch for Game 5 in Cleveland:

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1. Will Raptors’ strategy work?

What has happened since the first two games, which were dominated by the Cavs? The Raptors paid extra attention to Mitchell and Harden and dared their Cavs teammates to step into those big roles. And none have so far.

Mitchell and Harden create so much for themselves and their teammates because of their ball dominance that when Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and the rest of the rotation must fend for themselves, the offensive output can be minimal at times.

The obvious third wheel in the equation is Mobley, who has made steady improvement at both ends since his rookie season … except for this season, when he flatlined. And that has carried over into this first-round series as Mobley has had one impactful game. He’s averaging 16.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game vs. Toronto.

The Raptors must be aware of the Harden and/or Mitchell response, especially at home. Harden will look to secure the ball better; he’s averaging six turnovers per game. Also, Toronto might need to be mindful of a level-up by a Cleveland rotational player. Max Strus and Jaylon Tyson could have their game of the series and put Cleveland one step closer to winning this round.

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2. Why 3s are the magic number

Both teams are coming off a Game 4 where points and efficiency took a back seat. That means the Raptors and Cavaliers are due for a bounce-back.

And it might come down to long-distance shooting.

Which team seems most capable?

As for the Cavs, who are at 34% in the series, Strus, Harden and Sam Merrill must take charge. They’re the most efficient of the bunch, and in the case of Strus and Merrill, it might be time for them to shoot often. As a duo, they’re barely taking more combined than Mitchell does in a game, and Mitchell’s efficiency is streaky.

The Raptors don’t emphasize 3-point shooting mainly because it’s not their strength, especially with Immanuel Quickley out for the series with an injury. Grady Dick was supposed to be the designated specialist, but he has regressed and isn’t even in the rotation. Except for RJ Barrett, none of Toronto’s top scorers are volume shooters from deep.

Should the Raptors make 3s, that would be a bonus for them and send the Cleveland defense scrambling. Should the Cavs make 3s, that could make it hard for Toronto to win.

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3. Shead, Murray-Boyles stepping up

What’s impressive about the Raptors in this series is how two players taken in the last two drafts are coming up large at times. That would be Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles, who are demanding and getting ample playing time.

How many guards who average six points and don’t control the ball can earn 30 minutes a night in the playoffs? Shead is on the floor because of his intense defense, relentless hustle and he’s not intimidated by the moment.

Harden and Mitchell know that Shead will be in their grill constantly.

As for Murray-Boyles, he’s the best paint player in the series, bringing energy and blue collar, more impactful than Mobley and Allen, two more experienced and accomplished players. Murray-Boyles is attacking the glass and supplying a skill that has diminished in the NBA over the last decade or so — offensive rebounding. Those second-chance possessions are giving the Raptors multiple scoring opportunities.

“He changes games,” said Barnes.

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.