It’s only early November, but no doubt Los Angeles Lakers fans were feeling a lot of satisfaction after the team beat Dwight Howard’s Houston Rockets 99-98 on the road Thursday night. And who needs Kobe Bryant in the lineup when you have Steve Blake?
Blake drilled a game-winning 3-pointer over Dwight to give the Lakers the lead and eventual victory. Houston had a defensive breakdown on the play, allowing Blake to get a wide open shot off a screen. He nailed it. Contrast that well-drawn up play to the team’s previous possession where they nearly threw the ball away on the inbounds pass and then had a broken play.
Blake had 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 4-6 on threes. Howard had 15 points and 14 rebounds, but he was 5-for-16 from the free throw line as the Lakers employed the hack-a-Dwight strategy to perfection at the end of the game.
Don’t worry, Rockets fans, you still have the better overall team.
