Not only have the Lakers proven they can beat the Houston Rockets, but they've also shown they're capable of defeating Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

LeBron James and Marcus Smart recorded double-doubles as the Los Angeles Lakers took a stranglehold on their first-round playoff series against the host Houston Rockets with a 112-108 overtime victory in Game 3 on Friday.

The veteran guard put together one of his best postseason games in his career on Friday night, sparking an improbable Lakers rally in the final 25 seconds of regulation to force overtime and ultimately a 112-108 overtime win over the Rockets.

During the post-game press conference, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was asked to explain the end of regulation from his vantage point. Udoka did not mince his words, throwing his young, inexperienced team under the bus with a no-filter reply.

And also maybe LeBron James. A mortifying collapse down the stretch turned a series-saving win into an 0-3 hole for the Rockets, who are now one game from a sweep at the hands of the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers. Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET in Houston. No NBA team has ever blown a 3-0 lead in the playoffs.

Marcus Smart’s assignment in Game 2 of the Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets was as challenging as it gets. Guard Kevin Durant, the greatest scorer of all-time. What was going through his mind?

The Lakers don’t win Game 2 against the Rockets without Marcus Smart’s efforts. In the opening quarter, he was the most aggressive player on the court. He took seven shots and converted on five of them,