The Los Angeles Lakers secured their place among the Western Conference elite on Friday night, dismantling the short-handed Houston Rockets 140-109 at Crypto.com Arena to clinch the No. 3 seed with one game remaining in the regular season. It was the Lakers’ fourth win in five games, and the team now has its eyes set on a deep playoff run that could hopefully translate into another championship in June.
The win, their 50th of the year, marks the franchise’s first 50-win campaign since the championship-winning 2019-20 season. It also raises the postseason expectations for a group that believes it can win a title.
One of the reasons LA is so confident is the emergence of fourth-year guard Austin Reaves. In the midst of a career-best season, Reaves finished the night with 23 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, continuing to thrive alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Speaking after the game, he delivered a clear message, saying, “I feel like we can win a championship, to be honest with you.”
The Lakers’ recent form has been particularly encouraging for a franchise that has endured a turbulent postseason stretch since winning the 2020 title. Los Angeles was eliminated in the first round in 2021, missed the playoffs entirely in 2022, and fell to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals in 2023 — before being bounced by the same opponent in the first round last season.
Now, with Doncic in the fold, Reaves playing at an all-time high, and James still anchoring the team at age 40, the Lakers appear better positioned to make a legitimate run at an 18th championship.
