The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 124-116, marking their seventh win in a row. The Lakers, led by LeBron James and Luka Dončić, improved to 44-25 overall. This victory comes after Lakers head coach JJ Redick suggested it was beneficial to have James as the "third-highest-used player" for the team. Despite Kevin Durant scoring 18 points and the other starters scoring double figures, Los Angeles took control of the game early and took a 12-point halftime lead. The home team's defense improved significantly from the early game, scoring 37 points in the third and securing a three-point lead heading into the fourth.