Porter scores 27 points, Rockets beat short-handed Lakers 114-110

HOUSTON (AP)— Kevin Porter Jr. scored 27 points and the Houston Rockets beatthe short-handed Los Angeles Lakers 114-110 on Wednesday night.

Los Angelesscored five points, with a 3-pointer from Rui Hachimura, to getwithin four early in the fourth quarter. The Rockets countered withan 8-0 run, with the first five points from rookie Jabari SmithJr., to push it to 96-83.

The Rocketswere up by eight with 7.2 seconds to go before Malik Beasley hit a3 for the Lakers to cut the lead to 114-109. Austin Reaves then gota steal and Porter fouled him with 0.3 seconds remaining. It wasruled a Flagrant-1 foul after a review, but Reaves made just 1 of 2free throws and Houston held on.

It’s thesecond straight victory for the Western Conference-worst Rockets,who beat Boston on Monday night.

Alreadywithout LeBron James because of an injury, the Lakers were alsomissing Anthony Davis against Houston. Davis, who had 35 points and17 rebounds in a win over New Orleans on Tuesday night, isn’tplaying both games of back-to-back per doctors’ orders after comingback from a right foot injury.

Reaves had 24points off the bench and D’Angelo Russell added 18 as the Lakerslost for the second time in three games as they fight to stay inline for one of the last playoff spots in the WesternConference.

Porter had 18points before halftime despite missing the last two minutes of thesecond quarter after sustaining a cut about his left eye. He wasbleeding profusely as he held a towel to the cut as he walked tothe locker room. He returned to start the third quarter with aband-aid covering the cut.

Houston tookadvantage of the absence of Davis to dominate in the paint wherethe team outscored the Lakers 78-46.

The Rocketsled by as many as 18 in the first half and had a 62-48 lead athalftime. That deficit came a night after Los Angeles led 75-40 athalftime after making a franchise-record 15 3-pointers in the firsttwo quarters.

The Lakersused a 9-2 run to get within 79-74 with about three minutes left inthe third quarter. Troy Brown Jr. made the first five points inthat stretch and Wenyen Gabriel capped it with a basket.

But the LosAngeles offense went cold after that and didn’t score for the restof the quarter as Houston got baskets from Jae’Sean Tate and JalenGreen to lead 83-74 after three.

TIP-INS

Lakers: Jameswas out for the ninth straight game with a right foot injury. MoBamba missed a fifth straight game with a sprained left ankle. …Beasley had 16 points. ... Jarred Vanderbilt added 13 points with11 rebounds. ... Gabriel had a career-high 15 rebounds.

Rockets:Alperen Sengun had 13 points and nine rebounds in his return aftersitting out Monday night with a groin injury. … Kenyon Martin Jr.had 16 points and eight rebounds. ... Green scored 11 points.

UPNEXT

Lakers: HostDallas on Friday night.

Rockets: HostNew Orleans on Friday and Sunday nights.