The Los Angeles Lakers (46-29) clung to a narrow lead in the fourth quarter and solidified their hold on the 4th spot in the standings with a 104-98 victory over the Houston Rockets (49-27) on April 1.
Houston Rockets Top Performers:
Amen Thompson 20 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST | 42.0 FPS
Thompson tweaked his ankle in their win against the Suns but showed no signs of slowing down and even put up a stronger offensive performance after only recording 18 points or less in his last five games. While his rebounds and assists weren’t as sharp as usual, he made up for it with another solid defensive showing, recording 4 stocks. That said, he should be able to maintain his elite all-around production going into their next game.
Alperen Sengun 14 PTS | 7 REB | 6 AST | 32.4 FPS
Sengun’s production has seen a noticeable downtick lately, with five of his last six games falling below the 20-point mark. His playmaking has also been inconsistent, though he balanced it out with improved free-throw shooting while also maintaining fewer turnovers. Despite the dip, he remains a strong contributor and should also have a much stronger performance against the slumping Jazz.
Jalen Green 9 PTS | 9 REB | 5 AST | 31.3 FPS
Green had been on a hot streak heading into this game, dropping 30+ points in three of his last four outings. However, he struggled badly today, marking his third subpar performance this month. Despite the occasional drop, he has remained an elite fantasy asset thanks to his improved all-around game and ability to rack up numbers in many areas. Given his performance this month, expect him to bounce back with ease against the Jazz.
Jabari Smith Jr. 15 PTS | 3 3PM | 11 REB | 30.7 FPS
Smith provided a much-needed boost off the bench with the starters heavily struggling, recording his fourth-consecutive double-digit scoring game and his second double-double in the last three outings. He’s been a steady part of the team’s rotation lately but he’s not a must-add just yet unless he can find more consistency in his three-point shooting and rebounding.
Fred Vanvleet 7 PTS | 4 REB | 9 AST | 24.3 FPS
Fred struggled with his shooting again, posting his third subpar performance in the last six games, with each of those games featuring a 1-of-7 shooting from three. Despite his up-and-down play, he’s still capable of big scoring games and has also improved his playmaking in the past three games. For now, he’s still worth holding onto.
Los Angeles Lakers Top Performers:
Dorian Finney-Smith 20 PTS | 6 REB | 3 BLK | 45.7 FPS
DFS has been a significant part of the rotation recently and made the most of it, putting up five double-digit scoring performances in his last seven games. Today, he took it a step further, draining six three-pointers to set a season-high in points. Not only did he maintain his solid rebounding, but also contributed significantly on the defensive end, recording five stocks. While he may not consistently deliver at this high level, he’s certainly worth considering in deeper leagues.
Luka Doncic 20 PTS | 6 REB | 9 AST | 43.7 FPS
Doncic has been a scoring machine this month, racking up 29 points or more in 11 games. But he had a difficult time in offense today and posted his lowest point total of the month. He’s been having some struggles from three-point area lately, going just 3-for-16 in his last two games, but given his strong shooting numbers this month, a turnaround is only a matter of time. Even with the inefficiency, Doncic continues to be a fantasy powerhouse, dominating in rebounding and playmaking. Not only that, but he’s also sharpened his defensive game, recording two steals over the last three outings, all while limiting his turnovers over the past five.
LeBron James 16 PTS | 8 REB | 2 BLK | 40.6 FPS
James has been dealing with a groin issue but pushed through this game, coming up huge on both ends by knocking down two free throws and securing a crucial block to help seal the win. Since returning from a seven-game absence due to a leg injury, he’s been a bit quieter offensively, averaging just 16 points in four of his last six games, mainly due to a dip in three-point shooting and free-throw production. However, he’s continued to shine as an elite rebounding and playmaking threat, while also making notable strides defensively, averaging 4 stocks over his last two games.
Gabe Vincent 20 PTS | 6 3PM | 4 REB | 32.3 FPS
Vincent provided a much-needed spark on offense, notching his second straight game with 15+ points. His scoring was largely fueled by his three-point shooting, a category where he’s been hot, sinking multiple threes in nine of his last ten games. Given his recent performance, he should see more minutes in their next matchups especially with back-to-back games coming up.
Austin Reaves 12 PTS | 8 REB | 2 STL | 31.1 FPS
Reaves has been on an impressive run leading up to this game, with multiple 24+ point and 30+ point outings in recent weeks. While he maintained a solid shooting percentage from the field, both his outside and free-throw shooting were off, leading to his lowest scoring output in nearly a month. His scoring struggles could also persist in their upcoming matchup against the Warriors, as has been the case in their three previous meetings this season.
Biggest Disappointment of the Game:
Rui Hachimura 7 PTS | 2 REB | 2 STL
Hachimura has been showing steady improvement and has been playing bigger minutes lately after being sidelined for an extended period with a knee injury. He has also provided a boost to the offense, scoring in double-digits while knocking down 3+ three-pointers in his last two games. However, he couldn’t carry over that momentum today against an elite defensive team and had his worst scoring performance since returning. He also didn’t contribute much in other categories to make up for his struggles. Despite that, he should be able to bounce back in their next games though he’ll likely miss another game this week as the team enters another set of back-to-back matchups.
