The Los Angeles Lakers continued their strong run with Monday’s win over the Houston Rockets, extending their streak to six straight victories.
According to Law Murray, who writes for The Athletic, the team has defeated three likely playoff opponents during that stretch, the Timberwolves, Nuggets, and Rockets, and has also secured the season tiebreaker over both Minnesota and Denver.
Murray notes that while the Lakers maintained a solid record earlier in the season, their overall play didn’t always reflect it.
Recently, however, the team has started to come together, finding better chemistry and rhythm at an important point in the schedule.
With players like Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Marcus Smart, and Deandre Ayton stepping up in key moments, the Lakers are beginning to look like a dangerous playoff opponent.
Before Monday’s game, head coach JJ Redick also spoke about the ongoing challenge of getting Doncic, Reaves, and James fully in sync on the court.
As Benjamin Royer of The Southern California News Group reported, injuries to both James and Reaves have made it harder for the trio to consistently build chemistry.
Redick also pointed out that James is currently adjusting to a different type of role than he’s typically had in his career.
“The best thing for our team is (LeBron) being the third-highest-used player,” Redick said in part.
Lakers Notes: Luka, Reaves, LeBron, Smart, Ayton, Playoffs https://t.co/VG6ji8nZR7 pic.twitter.com/VdtLx4xWec
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 17, 2026
