NBA 2018-19: 3 talking points from Houston Rockets' victory over Los Angeles Lakers

The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 126-111 in what was a close encounter till late in the fourth quarter. The Rockets had already won the first encounter between the two teams at the Staples Center, so this result has reinforced the idea that they have the Lakers' number this season.

Houston Rockets v Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers came into this match on the back of a two-game winning streak, but they could not close out the deal against a Rockets team that has struggled for consistency this season.

The Rockets took a six-point lead into the halftime break, but the Lakers kept hanging around and had the lead in the third quarter. Ultimately though, the Rockets got back to their dominance and ran away with a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter.

The Rockets were again led by the reigning MVP James Harden, who has now become the first player to record four 50-point triple-doubles. The Rockets also shot the ball well from the deep, connecting on 15 three pointers for the match.

The Rockets are now the 13th ranked team in the Western Conference with a 13-14 record, while the Lakers remain at the fifth position with a 17-11 record.

Here are the top 3 takeaways from the match:

#3 Great effort shown on the boards by the Rockets

Capela was dominant on the boards

The difference in rebounding was probably one of the biggest reasons that got the Rockets home in this match. They had 15 offensive rebounds compared to only 7 by the Lakers.

The Rockets had 27 second chance points while the Lakers had only 9 for the game.

Clint Capela led the team in rebounds, grabbing 14 boards, while Harden also chipped in with 10 boards. The Rockets also showed better effort on defense than they had shown in earlier matches.

The Rockets are a tough team to play against despite their struggles this season. When they start executing most of the basics correctly, it becomes extremely difficult to beat them.

​