Green has 33 points, VanVleet's late steal helps Rockets hold on for 119-115 win over Lakers
HOUSTON (AP) Jalen Green scored 33 points and Fred VanVleet grabbed a key steal late to allow the Houston Rockets to hold on for a 119-115 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
Amen Thompson added 23 points and a career-high 16 rebounds in his return after a two-game suspension to help Houston eke out the victory after leading by as many as 22.
A basket by LeBron James got the Lakers within 117-115 with eight seconds to go. Alperen Sengun missed 1 of 2 free throws after that to give Los Angeles a chance to tie it.
But VanVleet stole the inbounds pass intended for James. VanVleet made 1 of 2 free throws to secure the victory.
Anthony Davis had 30 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers. James added 21 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
Los Angeles used an 11-2 run, with six points from Davis, to get within two with 4 minutes to go. A dunk by Thompson started a 7-2 run that pushed Houston’s lead to 115-108 with 2 ½ minutes remaining.
The Rockets remained up by seven about a minute after that when a 3 by Davis cut the lead to 117-113 before the basket by James.
Lakers: Davis was dominant throughout this one but James struggled to get going early and had just five points at halftime.
Rockets: Thompson’s performance Sunday was a good sign for Houston. The second-year player is starting in place of Jabari Smith Jr., who could be out up to two months after breaking a bone in his hand Friday.
The steal by VanVleet that sealed the victory.
The Rockets had 52 points in the paint to 40 by the Lakers.
The Lakers visit Dallas on Tuesday night and the Rockets visit Washington that night.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Anthony Davis vs. Alperen Sengun (Max Christie gains possession) | ||
| 11:39 |  | Anthony Davis turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 11:25 | | +2 | Amen Thompson makes two point alley-oop dunk (Alperen Sengun assists) | 0-2 |
| 10:58 | | Austin Reaves misses two point fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 10:57 | | Amen Thompson defensive rebound | ||
| 10:51 | | +2 | Amen Thompson makes two point driving floating jump shot | 0-4 |
| 10:40 | | +2 | Austin Reaves makes two point driving floating jump shot | 2-4 |
| 10:13 | | Alperen Sengun misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:12 | | LeBron James defensive rebound | ||
| 10:09 | | Alperen Sengun personal foul (Anthony Davis draws the foul) | ||
| 10:00 | | +3 | Rui Hachimura makes three point jump shot (Anthony Davis assists) | 5-4 |
| 9:50 | | Amen Thompson misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 9:49 | | Amen Thompson offensive rebound | ||
| 9:47 | | +2 | Amen Thompson makes two point putback dunk | 5-6 |
| 9:25 | | +2 | Anthony Davis makes two point turnaround hook shot | 7-6 |
| 9:11 | | Dillon Brooks misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:09 | | Amen Thompson offensive rebound | ||
| 9:07 | | Amen Thompson turnover (bad pass) (LeBron James steals) | ||
| 9:01 | | Max Christie misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 9:00 | | Dillon Brooks defensive rebound | ||
| 8:52 | | Alperen Sengun turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 8:34 | | Anthony Davis turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 8:16 | | Dillon Brooks misses two point fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 8:15 | | LeBron James defensive rebound | ||
| 8:03 | | Austin Reaves misses two point fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 8:01 | | Alperen Sengun defensive rebound | ||
| 7:43 | | +2 | Alperen Sengun makes two point layup (Dillon Brooks assists) | 7-8 |
| 7:33 | | Rui Hachimura misses two point layup | ||
| 7:32 | | Jalen Green defensive rebound | ||
| 7:28 | | +2 | Jalen Green makes two point running layup | 7-10 |
| 7:17 | | +3 | Austin Reaves makes three point jump shot (Max Christie assists) | 10-10 |
| 7:01 | | +3 | Jalen Green makes three point pullup jump shot | 10-13 |
| 6:47 | | +2 | Rui Hachimura makes two point pullup jump shot (Austin Reaves assists) | 12-13 |
| 6:29 | | Alperen Sengun misses two point floating jump shot | ||
| 6:28 | | Anthony Davis defensive rebound | ||
| 6:16 | | +2 | LeBron James makes two point turnaround bank jump shot | 14-13 |
| 6:04 | | Jalen Green misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 6:03 | | LeBron James defensive rebound | ||
| 5:53 | | Fred VanVleet blocks Anthony Davis's two point layup | ||
| 5:52 | | Fred VanVleet defensive rebound | ||
| 5:48 | | +2 | Amen Thompson makes two point running dunk (Dillon Brooks assists) | 14-15 |
| 5:29 | | +3 | Rui Hachimura makes three point jump shot (LeBron James assists) | 17-15 |
| 5:07 | | Anthony Davis blocks Alperen Sengun's two point driving reverse layup | ||
| 5:06 | | LeBron James defensive rebound | ||
| 4:58 | | Rockets 60 second timeout | ||
| 4:44 | | Anthony Davis misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 4:42 | | Alperen Sengun defensive rebound | ||
| 4:28 | | +3 | Fred VanVleet makes three point jump shot (Dillon Brooks assists) | 17-18 |
| 4:09 | | +2 | Dorian Finney-Smith makes two point driving finger roll layup (Anthony Davis assists) | 19-18 |
| 3:49 | | +3 | Jalen Green makes three point stepback jump shot | 19-21 |
| 3:36 | | Jalen Green personal foul (Rui Hachimura draws the foul) | ||
| 3:32 | | Anthony Davis misses two point jump shot | ||
| 3:31 | | Jalen Green defensive rebound | ||
| 3:21 | | +2 | Jalen Green makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 19-23 |
| 3:03 | | Jalen Green shooting foul (Shake Milton draws the foul) | ||
| 3:03 | | +1 | Shake Milton makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-23 |
| 3:03 | | Shake Milton misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 3:03 | | Shake Milton offensive rebound | ||
| 3:00 | | Shake Milton turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 2:48 | | +2 | Jalen Green makes two point driving finger roll layup (Jae'Sean Tate assists) | 20-25 |
| 2:28 | | Anthony Davis misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 2:28 | | Fred VanVleet defensive rebound | ||
| 2:21 | | Anthony Davis personal foul (Steven Adams draws the foul) | ||
| 2:21 | | Lakers 60 second timeout | ||
| 2:17 | | Cam Reddish personal foul (Cam Whitmore draws the foul) | ||
| 2:12 | | +2 | Jalen Green makes two point driving finger roll layup | 20-27 |
| 2:12 | | LeBron James shooting foul (Jalen Green draws the foul) | ||
| 2:12 | | +1 | Jalen Green makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 20-28 |
| 1:54 | | Dorian Finney-Smith misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:53 | | Cam Whitmore defensive rebound | ||
| 1:41 | | +2 | Steven Adams makes two point driving finger roll layup | 20-30 |
| 1:25 | | +2 | Dorian Finney-Smith makes two point driving reverse layup (LeBron James assists) | 22-30 |
| 1:14 | | Anthony Davis blocks Amen Thompson's two point stepback jump shot | ||
| 1:13 | | Anthony Davis defensive rebound | ||
| 1:02 | | LeBron James misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 1:00 | | Amen Thompson defensive rebound | ||
| 0:55 | | Anthony Davis blocks Amen Thompson's two point running layup | ||
| 0:55 | | Steven Adams offensive rebound | ||
| 0:37 | | +3 | Jalen Green makes three point pullup jump shot | 22-33 |
| 0:34 | | Jae'Sean Tate personal foul (Anthony Davis draws the foul) | ||
| 0:23 | | Anthony Davis misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:22 | | Dorian Finney-Smith offensive rebound | ||
| 0:17 | | Shake Milton turnover (out of bounds step) | ||
| 0:01 | | +3 | Jae'Sean Tate makes three point jump shot (Amen Thompson assists) | 22-36 |
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:52 | | Austin Reaves shooting foul (Amen Thompson draws the foul) | ||
| 11:52 | | Amen Thompson misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 11:52 | | Rockets offensive rebound | ||
| 11:52 | | +1 | Amen Thompson makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 22-37 |
| 11:37 | | Cam Whitmore blocks Austin Reaves's two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 11:37 | | Lakers offensive rebound | ||
| 11:30 | | LeBron James misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 11:29 | | Steven Adams defensive rebound | ||
| 11:23 | | Jaxson Hayes shooting foul (Amen Thompson draws the foul) | ||
| 11:23 | | Amen Thompson misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 11:23 | | Rockets offensive rebound | ||
| 11:23 | | Amen Thompson misses regular free throw 2 of 2 |