After avoiding elimination with a win in Game 4, the Houston Rockets will try to do so again in tonight’s Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Even without Kevin Durant, who missed his third game of the series with an ankle injury (he’ll miss his fourth tonight), the Rockets dominated from the jump and led by as many as 26 points at one point. Amen Thompson led all players with 23 points and 7 assists, part of a balanced starting lineup where all five players scored at least 16 points. The Rockets’ defense also forced the Lakers into 23 turnovers.
The Lakers may gain a huge piece of offense back with the return of Austin Reeves. Reeves, who has been out with an oblique strain since April 2. He was listed as a game-time decision ahead of Game 4, but the Lakers are optimistic that he’ll be ready to go for tonight’s game.
Lakers vs. Rockets: what to know
- What: NBA Playoffs First Round, Game 5
- When: April 29, 10 p.m. ET
- Where: Crypyo.com Arena (Los Angeles, California)
- Channel: ESPN
- Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
Even with the Game 4 victory, every win is a must-win for the Rockets, who coud be eliminated with the Lakers’ next win. If the Lakers win tonight, they’ll face the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Round 2, but a Rockets win will bring the series back to Houston for Game 6.
Lakers vs. Rockets start time:
Tonight’s Lakers vs. Rockets playoff game is scheduled to tip off at 10 p.m. ET tonight, April 29.
How to watch Lakers vs. Rockets for free:
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ESPN (plus every other channel you’ll need for the NBA season including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription, you can try a Sling Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN. Sling also offers weekend and week-long passes for its Orange plan, which offer between three and seven days of access.
Lakers vs. Rockets first round playoff schedule
- Game 1: Lakers 107, Rockets 98
- Game 2: Lakers 101, Rockets 94
- Game 3: Lakers 112, Rockets 108
- Game 4: Rockets 115, Lakers
- Game 5: April 29*
- Game 6: May 1*
- Game 7: May 3*
* if necessary
NBA Playoffs key dates:
- April 18: NBA Playoffs First Round begins
- June 3: Game 1 of the NBA Finals
Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
