HOUSTON — One team played like its season was on the line.

The other team was the Lakers, who were on the losing end of Sunday’s Game 4 at Toyota Center for their first loss of their first round playoff series against the Rockets .

After falling behind in the series by three games, the Kevin Durant-less Rockets were the more urgent and aggressive team in their 115-96 blowout victory over the Lakers, who consistently struggled to generate offense the entire game .

The Lakers shot 50% from the field (37 of 74), but only made 5 of their 22 3-point attempts.

It was their fewest made 3s in a playoff game since making four 3s on April 26, 2013 (Game 3 of 2013 first round series against Spurs).

Deandre Ayton (19 points and 10 rebounds) and Rui Hachimura (13 points) were the only Lakers who found any sort of rhythm in Game 4 – and Ayton was ejected in the third quarter after being assessed a Flagrant 2 foul after elbowing Rockets All-Star center Alperen Sengun in the head.

LeBron James finished with 10 points,…