Deandre Ayton pointed to rhythm and shot-making as the core issue after the Los Angeles Lakers fell 99-93 to the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of their first-round series on Wednesday night at crypto.com Arena.
“Really our rhythm,” Ayton said. “I think the missed shots really deflated us a little bit. It put energy into our offense where we didn’t need it and kind of deflated our defense as well.”
The loss trimmed the Lakers’ series lead to 3-2 and sent Houston back home with momentum after a second straight win without Kevin Durant.
Ayton, who finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds, said the team’s response to missed opportunities shaped the outcome. “We just got to have amnesia when it comes to these shots and just next play mentality, and we should be good from there.”
From a basketball execution standpoint, Los Angeles struggled to maintain offensive stability when possessions did not end in early success, which also impacted defensive transition structure.
Ayton acknowledged that the Lakers lost balance when shots stopped falling. “It put energy into our offense where we didn’t need it,” he repeated, emphasizing how momentum swings affected both ends of the floor.
Despite the defeat, Ayton highlighted the team’s dominance on the glass as a positive indicator. Los Angeles controlled the rebounding battle, but Houston’s defensive pressure and shot creation undercut that advantage.
The Lakers also benefited from Austin Reaves returning to the rotation, a development Ayton viewed positively. “It was fun,” he said. “I was very happy I was a part of his first bucket.”
“I set a good screen and he made a great three,” Ayton added. “Once I seen that, I knew the work he put in to get him there.”
Reaves finished with 22 points and provided a perimeter scoring option, but Houston’s defensive rotations limited sustained offensive flow for Los Angeles throughout key stretches.
The Rockets, meanwhile, leaned on balanced scoring and physical defense, with Jabari Smith Jr. leading the way with 22 points and Alperen Sengun contributing a near triple-double.
Ayton’s comments aligned with broader Lakers concerns in the series, particularly turnovers and stalled half-court execution against Houston’s pressure schemes.
“Next play mentality” was the central message from the Lakers center, as Los Angeles prepares for a pivotal Game 6 in Houston where the series pressure now swings toward survival.
With the Rockets forcing a decisive shift in momentum, the Lakers must address offensive consistency if they are to close out the series on the road.
