Jonathan Frederic De Santos

HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 24: Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round 1 Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE   Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Logan Riely / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)

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Los Angeles Lakers v Houston Rockets - Game Three

Agence France-Presse

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777091918994AFP__20260425__2272359858__v1__MidRes__LosAngelesLakersVHoustonRocketsGameThree.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round 1 Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Logan Riely / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)"/>Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round 1 Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Logan Riely / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)</div>LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers, fueled by 29 points from LeBron James, beat the Houston Rockets 112-108 in an overtime thriller on Friday to take a 3-0 stranglehold in their NBA playoff series.James, the 41-year-old superstar playing in his 19th post-season, came up with a steal and a game-tying three-pointer with 13.6 seconds left in regulation.He couldn&#x27;t get a potential game-winner to drop at the buzzer, but added a steal and a block in a frantic overtime as the Lakers pushed the Rockets to the brink of elimination in the best-of-seven Western Conference series.No NBA team has come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a playoff series.&quot;Just trying to seize the opportunity,&quot; James, who added 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals, told broadcaster Prime. &quot;My guys trust me to try to make plays and I&#x27;m blessed to be able to do it.&quot;The Lakers will have a chance to close out the series in Houston on Sunday. It&#x27;s not a position many expected them to be in with league-leading scorer Luka Doncic sidelined by a hamstring strain and key offensive contributor Austin Reaves out with an oblique injury.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/4/24/nba-lakers-austin-reaves-could-return-for-game-3-against-rockets-1211">NBA: Lakers&#x27; Austin Reaves could return for Game 3 against Rockets </a></div>The young Rockets, with veteran star Kevin Durant sidelined by a sprained ankle, were led Alperen Sengun&#x27;s 33 points and 16 rebounds.They rallied from an early 15-point deficit and led by six with less than 30 seconds left in regulation.But their mistakes caught up with them. A Houston turnover was followed by a foul on Marcus Smart as he attempted a three-pointer.Smart made all three free-throws to cut the Lakers&#x27; deficit to 101-98 and set the stage for James&#x27;s game-tying basket.Sengun missed a potential go-ahead basket before James was off-target from beyond the arc and they went to overtime, Smart scoring eight of his 21 points in the extra session as the Lakers pulled away.<div> </div><div>Celtics hold off 76ers</div>Boston&#x27;s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 25 points apiece to lead the Celtics to a hard-fought 108-100 victory over the 76ers in Philadelphia and a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference series.The Sixers had grabbed Game Two in Boston to knot the series at one game apiece.In a game that neither team led by more than 10 points, the Celtics took a five-point lead into the fourth quarter.Tyrese Maxey&#x27;s three-pointer briefly put the Sixers up 85-84 with 8:42 remaining, and Philadelphia were within one when Tatum drilled a three-pointer that pushed Boston&#x27;s lead to 100-96 with 1:57 left to play.Payton Pritchard added another three-pointer with the shot-clock winding down before Tatum — who missed most of the season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in last year&#x27;s playoffs, drained a dagger trey that sealed it for Boston.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/4/24/nba-hawks-fend-off-knicks-raptors-pull-away-from-cavs-to-cut-deficit-1144">NBA: Hawks fend off Knicks, Raptors pull away from Cavs to cut deficit </a></div>&quot;We just were resilient,&quot; Tatum told broadcaster Prime. &quot;We stuck with it. It&#x27;s a game of runs — good team and just, you&#x27;ve got to answer.&quot;Maxey scored 31 points to lead the Sixers. Paul George added 18 and rookie VJ Edgecombe added 10 points and 10 rebounds.Sixers star Joel Embiid, still recovering from an emergency appendectomy earlier this month, was ruled out shortly before the game.&quot;He&#x27;s just not ready,&quot; said Sixers coach Nick Nurse, whose team will try to even the series when they host game four on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Lakers, fueled by 29 points from LeBron James, beat the Houston Rockets 112-108 in an overtime thriller on Friday to take a 3-0 stranglehold in their NBA playoff series.

The Los Angeles Lakers, fueled by 29 points from LeBron James, beat the Houston Rockets 112-108 in an overtime thriller on Friday to take a 3-0 stranglehold in their NBA playoff series.

Lakers down Rockets in overtime for 3-0 series lead, Celtics hold off Sixers

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Lakers down Rockets in overtime for 3-0 series lead, Celtics hold off Sixers

Agence France-Presse

Published April 25, 2026 12:43 PM PHT

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