Dave McMenamin Apr 24, 2026, 11:16 PM ET

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Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.

Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.

HOUSTON -- Trailing by six with half a minute to go in the fourth quarter Friday, the Lakers appeared to have squandered their chance to go up 3-0 in their first-round series against the Rockets , letting a double-digit lead slip away after halftime.

Until LeBron James and Marcus Smart , Los Angeles' two oldest players on the court, made some magic happen, that is.

"The game's never over until zeroes on the clock," James said after the Lakers' 112-108 overtime win .

Smart started the sequence by stealing Houston forward Jabari Smith Jr.…