‘LEBRON LOOKED OLD!’ - Stephen A. reacts to the Lakers’ Game 5 loss to the Rockets | First Take

But for now, let's go to Houston and what they were able to take care of in Los Angeles last night.No Kevin Durant, no problem for Houston, who held on yet again, beating the Lakers 99 to 93.To push the series to at least six games, Alperen Shingun had 14 points, nine boards, eight dimes.Tari Eason put in 18 for the Rockets as well.As for the Lakers, they did get Austin Reeves back for the first time this series.He had 22 points, but the turnovers were costly.

Here's Charles Barkley last night.

I saw all these these idiots and fools on television.He he played he's man LeBron's playing great for 41 y 'all in game one and game two and he played great in game one too.But when you get older the longer series goes his efficiency is coming down.

Okay, Shams reported this morning on get up that Kevin Durant will miss game six tomorrow night.And so how much trouble given what Charles Barkley just said as well.

How much trouble are the Lakers and after last night's loss Stephen a as first thing first things first, they are in trouble.No doubt.But let me say this.As his brother, I mean, obviously, Mike Wilbon is more tighter with Barkley than I am, but I love my brother Chuck.We all know that.I need him to expand his vocabulary in terms of calling people idiots.

Everybody's a damn idiot in his world.That's number one.Number two, number two, it's amazing to me how he's so quick to call people idiots.How many times, Wilbon, can we call up some prediction or critique that Charles Barkley has made where he's had to modify it.Months later.It's amazing that everybody is an idiot, but him he's unbelievable, but we love him.

We got you.Here's the deal.The Lakers are in some trouble.I'm going to tell you this will bond and Shay as I reflect being there last night.I was like did Austin Reeves need to be out there.It's like if he wasn't out there, Luke Kennard would have had a bigger role.

It might not have disrupted their game.Luke canard was virtually non -existent and considering how great he looked in game one.It's almost one of those moments where you look in him and you're saying games one and two to a lesser degree game three ride that way ride that wave and that wasn't what happened and the Lakers just didn't seem like themselves and LeBron looked old.And that is the thing that really, really stood out.Now, you're going up against a Houston team with a starting five, all 24 years of age or younger.Yeah, or babies.

Well, guess what?They have even though they don't have the experience.They got a spring in their step.They've got their legs.They did as the Lakers weighed in fatigue kicked in.Houston was more energized.

All we were worried about watching Houston, who was once down by 10 and then up by 13 or 14 for crying out loud, 24 -point turnaround that way between the second and third quarters.The reality is this, when you look at the Houston Rockets, the one thing you worried about was their energy.Were they going to have it?in the fourth quarter because you know, they turn the ball over and you know them in clutch time.They can be a bit erratic.So you're looking at Reed Shepard.

You're looking at Arman Thompson and you're saying can they handle it?and they ended up handling it.They were assisted by LeBron who was just off and had a couple of key turnovers.Clearly, nobody else was really stepping up and being formidable offensively and Houston as a result has life and they have the momentum because they're going back to Houston having won two straight.I expect them to win game 6 and force a game 7 here in LA at the very least.That's what I'm looking at for one reason above all else.

their energy.The Lakers were searching for it.The Houston Rockets obviously had it.That was the difference when it really was time.

Steven, I want to go back to your Austin Reeves point for a second because yesterday I sat here and said the hiccup in this for the for the for the Lakers would be trying to get Austin Reeves back working back.We see this all the time in a regular season when even bigger stars than Reeves come back in and they are high usage players.that first game trying to get them back in is often resulting in an L. That's to some degree what happened.I'm not blaming Austin Reeves.You got to get him back in.What was he four for 16.

So he won't have that issue.I think Reeves will be more sure of himself.He will be closer to the Austin Reeves.We saw when the Lakers got hot and he and Luca and LeBron were playing that well together.We're going to see much closer to that Austin Reeves in game six.I really believe that.

But here's the other thing.The Houston Rockets didn't stand around waiting for Kevin Durant last night because there was no Kevin Durant.They didn't wait around for KD because they couldn't.They didn't wait around for Shingun because he's the guy who stood up in a meeting and said, no, no, no, we've all got to do this.And that worked for game five.I don't know whether that same blueprint can work for game six.

I think we're going to see a better Reeves, but I could also see the Lakers getting their doors blown off in Houston and having to come back and what would be one of the great dramatic First round game sevens.We've seen ever.

Well, listen, here's the deal.Here's the deal.I definitely see a game seven.I definitely see them get run out of the building in game six because Houston is desperate number one, but number two, they have the momentum and again, they've got fresh legs.That's not the case with the Los Angeles Lakers.Remember in the first three games when the Lakers went up three, nothing.

They shot 46 % from three -point range over the last two losses.They've shot 24 and a half percent, including one for 10 in the fourth quarter.last night.They're not shooting the ball.This is one of the problems.We've lamented when they're hitting shots.

Obviously, they're formidable.Luka.Dodges has something to do with that with him being out.They're severely compromised.Austin reads.You probably got him on the court last night in all fairness to JJ Redick and the coaching staff because in case you lost this game, at least he's got some of the rust off and he'd be better prepared.

One would assume come game six because the brother is a 23 point per game scorer.But in the end, what I'm saying is we know this about Houston, not only their youth, but they're elite defenders.They're a top six, top seven defensive team in the National Basketball Association.When Kevin Durant was on the court to start off the season, they were a team that was capable of starting four dudes, six feet, 11 or taller.They've got that size.So when you look at this size, the athleticism, their fresh legs, their rebounding ability, their willingness to defend, All of those things are things that work against the Los Angeles Lakers.

So you're going to require a Herculean effort from somebody.I don't understand why Rui Hachimura can't be more effective offensively.He's got the body type.He's got a skill set.I don't know why that happens to him.I think Luke Kennard was compromised because with a shooter JJ Reddick knows this better than most you don't disrupt them when they're in the flow.

You make sure you feed them that may not have necessarily been the case over the last two games with Luke canard.I think that has hurt them.But Austin Reeves coming back who knows how much that's going to help but you certainly didn't expect on two full days rest for LeBron James to look as anemic as he looked last night.He just didn't look effective at all.He just didn't did not have it and I think in order for the Lakers to win this series, he's going to have to have it and I'm betting in all likelihood that it would be in a game seven back at the crypto .com arena.

as opposed to a Game 6 in Houston. II think Houston is going to blow their doors off in Game 6, and I think they're going to force a Game 7 back here in LA.

One thing I would say, Steven, and yes, that was reflected in the 0 -for -6 three -point shooting that we saw from LeBron last night, and they were all front rim.Yep.You know, it was particularly late, those last three.But let me just say this.Houston that all that youth at what point do they realize the moment they're in and is that realization what's going to bring them down.I don't think that will happen at home in game six, but I think it's hard for me to see the Lakers losing three straight and losing a game seven, which look all the historical ramifications.

I want to get crazy, but LeBron LeBron.Can you imagine just going into that, the anticipation, what we would all be talking about and speculating about and looking at and examining and trying to figure out as LeBron goes into a game 7 tie 3 -3 after being up 3 -0 in a series.He's 24 -0 and he's up 2 -0 in a series.So there's so much to go here.But again, the youngest, the best.team to ever win a playoff game in NBA history, the Houston Rockets last night, that starting group.

When are the nerves going to set in?If I want to choose somebody based on calm and poise, It is going to be LeBron James and whoever he's leading.Of course ain't going to be the Rockets.So it's still got a long way to go before the Rockets can advance in this.

Well, my brother, you didn't my brother.You didn't hear me say the Rockets was going to win the series.I know I know it's going to be a game.There's going to be a game because I'm with you.I'm with you.I'm with you with the

nerves, but I will tell you this, the nerves that customarily come with the game.Seven is a bit different.We'll bond when you would have squad down 3 -0 and now you tied to 3 -3 green.You see if it's back and forth, back and forth, that's entirely different.But to be down 3 -0 on the verge of getting swept and the transition from that.to forcing a game 7.

That is where it really kicks in.So that would be a different Houston Rockets team.If that happened and what would be interesting about LeBron James whether he did not and by the way, when I say was off.I'm just talking about his jump shot.He did have 25 points and seven assists.Let's keep it a buck, but I'm just talking about his long range shot last night.

That's all I was talking about.But understand he knows the man is a master at narratives.We've discussed this already and this man knows how bad that would look.even at 41 with 23 years in the league because of how he looked the first three games of this series for LeBron James to lose a 3 -0 lead in the first round.and for the Houston Rockets to come back and win that series.That would not be a narrative.

He would want his name and his legacy associated with which would make a game 7 that much more compelling and a hundred percent.

He could definitely use some help from Luke and are though.He had only one point last night as we pointed out.He was over for from the field prior to that in games.One factory was averaging almost 18 points a game.They could definitely use that shooting percentage.