Jabari Smith Jr. said it before the game.
The Houston Rockets went out and backed it up.
Now, LeBron James is responding — but not engaging.
“I don’t care about [expletive] like that, bro,” James said after the Rockets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 99-93 in Game 5. “The game’s only between the four lines. I don’t give a [expletive] who cares. I mean, of course, you say, why would you say we’re not the better team? Like, but I don’t, ask one of them young guys that question. I’m too old for that [expletive].”
On this night, the result spoke louder than anything said beforehand.
Jabari Smith Jr. Delivers on Bold ‘Better Team’ Claim
Smith Jr. scored 22 points, added seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks in a two-way performance that rattled the Lakers. He set the tone early as Houston avoided elimination for the second straight game, trimming the Lakers’ series lead to 3-2.
“Just stay with it, be us, be aggressive, play free,” Smith Jr. said before Game 5. “We’re obviously the better team, I feel like.”
For two straight games, the Rockets have looked the part.
Tari Eason added 18 points, while Alperen Sengun finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, controlling the interior and facilitating Houston’s offense.
The Rockets turned Game 5 into a physical, half-court battle late — and executed when it mattered most.
Rockets Defense, Execution Flip Series Momentum
Houston’s defensive pressure and composure down the stretch proved decisive.
After Los Angeles cut the deficit to three late, the Rockets responded with one of the game’s defining sequences.
Reed Sheppard hit a key jumper, then stripped James on the next possession and converted a fast-break dunk to push the lead back to five with just over two minutes remaining.
From there, Houston closed it out.
The Lakers committed 15 turnovers — many unforced — while the Rockets stayed disciplined on both ends.
It marked Houston’s second straight win after falling into an 0-3 series hole.
LeBron James Acknowledges Houston’s Surge
James finished with 25 points and seven assists, including 17 in the second half, but missed all six of his 3-point attempts and came up short in the closing moments.
He credited Houston’s play rather than focusing on the pregame remarks.
“Listen, it’s one game,” James said. “You give credit where credit is due. They played well the last two games, exceptionally well, and we’ve got to answer the call.”
The Lakers, who once held full control of the series, now face mounting pressure heading into Game 6.
Rockets Stay Alive, Eye History
Houston’s resurgence has come without Kevin Durant, who has missed most of the series.
Instead, the Rockets have leaned on balance, energy and belief — the same confidence Smith Jr. voiced before Game 5.
“We put ourselves in a bad position, but we can still make history,” Sengun said. “Just take it one game at a time.”
History remains daunting. No NBA team has ever rallied from a 0-3 deficit to win a playoff series.
But the Rockets are halfway to forcing a Game 7 — and heading home with momentum.
Game 6 Shifts Pressure Back to Houston
Game 6 now becomes a pivotal test — not just of Houston’s belief, but of its ability to sustain it.
Another win would force a winner-take-all Game 7 in Los Angeles and push the Lakers to the brink of an unprecedented collapse.
For now, the Rockets have done what few expected.
They’ve turned words into results — and given their “better team” claim new weight with every possession.
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