Don't count the Houston Rockets out just yet. After falling down 0-3 against the Los Angeles Lakers, they are now down 2-3 and will head back to Houston to play Game 6. That gives the Rockets new life after being completely written off.
The fact that Houston is mounting their comeback without star Kevin Durant is all the more notable. He's missed the last two games, and his status for Game 6 is up in the air.
Their winning without him doesn't exactly bode well for his future with the Rockets, with him seemingly having alienated himself from teammates. If the Rockets are able to force a Game 7 without him, his returning could potentially help and hurt Houston.
Lakers just gave Rockets new life in their first-round playoff series
The Lakers got reinforcements in Game 5, with Austin Reaves returning from injury and scoring 22 points off the bench. He gives them another offensive weapon that could help counter the surging Rockets.
With Game 6 in Houston, it would seem like the Rockets have a great chance of forcing a Game 7 but still face an uphill battle to actually win the series. No team has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit to win a series in NBA history, so the Rockets would be the first, and they would have to win Game 7 in L.A.
Still, the Lakers should be concerned. Their prior strategies of packing the paint haven't worked recently, and even though they have home court advantage and the lead in the series, they are still undermanned without Luka Doncic.
The only benefit of having the series extended by two extra games is that it gives Doncic more time to recover. If they can win in Houston, then they would run up against a buzzsaw in the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round. Doncic might be closer to making his return, which would at least give them a fighting chance.
However, the Lakers can't take their eyes off the task at hand, which is to beat the Rockets. Even so, the Rockets have shown little quit, suggesting that they have what it takes to force a Game 7.
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