Suns Lakers Basketball

The Lakers spent six months building and working toward the opportunity to make some noise in the playoffs. And then Los Angeles’ hopes and plans all collapsed during one quarter in Oklahoma City earlier this month. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both left that game with injuries that still haven't healed. That means the Lakers are major underdogs in their first-round series against the Houston Rockets starting this weekend. Not even the ageless presence of LeBron James suggests any way out of this jam for Los Angeles. But Marcus Smart and the Lakers' veterans still believe they've got a shot with toughness and togetherness.