LeBron James won’t be tying an NBA sweep record after all. Although the Lakers were lined up for a fourth and final win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday, LA came up short against a Kevin Durant-less Rockets team.
Is LeBron James out of gas? Will the comeback be on the horizon for the Rockets?
If you ask ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, he’s hardly worried about the Lakers in this series, even after they took on their first loss. Although Stephen A. is a well-known LeBron critic, there isn’t any bias in his analysis here.
Stephen A. Smith Believes The Rockets Have No Shot
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: Stephen A. Smith speaks at SiriusXM on Radio Row at Super Bowl LX on February 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
âIâm not concerned at all about what we saw from him in Game 4,” Smith explained.
“LeBron James was phenomenal in the first three games of this series. It was a bad game. My view after the Game 4 loss was that it was fatigue. 41 years of age. 23rd season being out there on the basketball court, no Luka, no Austin Reaves, and Houston was desperate.”
Without Doncic and Reaves, the Lakers have relied heavily on the seasoned veteran, LeBron James. Throughout the first three games of the series, James saw the court for 40.7 minutes on average.
James averaged 25.3 points while shooting 47.4% from the field. He also posted 9.7 rebounds per game and 8.7 assists per game.
Game 4 was a down outing for James. In 33 minutes, he went just 2-9 from the field for 10 points. While James had nine assists, he turned the ball over eight times. The Rockets came away with the 115-96 win, spoiling the Lakers’ sweep.
“They had to do what they had to do to survive. All hands on deck and they got all up in them, and was defending them and what have you,” Smith said of the Rockets.
On Wednesday, the Lakers will return to the court to take on the Rockets for Game 5 in Los Angeles. Despite a clunker on Sunday, the slate gets wiped clean.
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a basket against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 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. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
“Wednesday night, youâll see a level of normalcy towards LeBron James because it will be two additional days of rest,” Smith finished. “He will be much, much more ready.â
The Lakers have smelled blood in the water with the Rockets since Game 1. Once they took care of business against Kevin Durant and his team in Game 2, it was clear that LA–even without Doncic and Reaves–had the tools to stun everybody who predicted the series to go the other way.
Just one win away, the Lakers can seal the series on Wednesday. Stephen. A Smith is confident the Lakers will do just that.
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