LeBron James hit a clutch three-pointer to force overtime, and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 112-108 on Friday to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round NBA playoff series.
With the Lakers trailing by three points and 13 seconds left in regulation, James drained a deep three to tie the game. He nearly won it at the buzzer with another triple that rimmed out, but the Lakers dominated the extra period.
James, playing without injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, led all scorers with 29 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for a double-double. Marcus Smart added 21 points and 10 assists, scoring eight of his points in overtime.
"With two of our best players down, we've got to play desperate," Smart said. "That's how we've been playing, and that's how we're winning. The chemistry has been good, and you're starting to see guys' confidence go up."
The Rockets were again without leading scorer Kevin Durant, sidelined by an ankle sprain. Houston must win Game 4 at home on Sunday to avoid a sweep.
In other playoff action, the San Antonio Spurs rallied to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 120-108, taking a 2-1 series lead. Rookie Stephon Castle scored 33 points, and fellow rookie Dylan Harper added career highs of 27 points and 10 rebounds. Spurs star Victor Wembanyama remained in concussion protocol and did not play.
The Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 108-100 to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference series. Jayson Tatum scored 11 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, and Jaylen Brown also scored 25.