latimes.com / .latimes-com-sports-lakers / Page 4

Lakers guard Marcus Smart has been on a team that rallied from a playoff deficit and knows his team must dig deeper to fend off the Rockets' surge.

After his inspiring play on a Game 3 overtime win against the Rockets in Houston, the 41-year-old star has looked mortal.

The starting guard has been sidelined since April 2 because of a left oblique muscle strain but will now try to help the Lakers clinch the series.

Damon Jones, a former NBA player and Lakers assistant, became the first of 34 defendants to plead guilty Tuesday in an expansive federal gambling indictment in Brooklyn.

The starting guard, who has been sidelined along with Luka Doncic since April 2, is questionable as the team looks to close out the playoff series vs. the Rockets.

Deandre Ayton was the best player on the court for the Lakers in Game 4 against Houston before his ejection compromised the Lakers' comeback hopes.

The Lakers commit 24 turnovers and make only five three-pointers as the Houston Rockets pull away in the third quarter en route to a 115-96 win in Game 4.

His first postseason points comes in a 26-second flurry that includes a three-pointer and an alley-oop dunk off a pass from his father in Game 3.

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 put on another ageless performance and the Lakers showed proved once again they are one of the NBA's top clutch-time teams in their Game 3 win.