The Los Angeles Lakers produced a dominant performance to defeat the Houston Rockets 98–78 in Game 6, sealing a 4–2 first-round playoff series victory.
LeBron James led the way with 28 points—18 coming in the first half—while also contributing seven rebounds and eight assists.
Rui Hachimura added 21 points with efficient three-point shooting, and Austin Reaves chipped in 15 points in his first start of the series.
The Lakers’ success was built on disciplined play at both ends of the court, committing just 11 turnovers and holding Houston to 35 percent shooting.
The Rockets struggled offensively and were hampered by the absence of injured star Kevin Durant, who missed multiple games in the series.
Alperen Sengun led Houston with 17 points and 11 rebounds, but the team could not sustain its earlier comeback momentum.
With the victory, the Lakers advance to the Western Conference semifinals, where they will face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
Houston’s season ends despite briefly reviving hopes of a historic comeback after trailing 3–0, falling short of forcing a decisive Game 7.
