Austin Reaves said on March 18 that the Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for possible adjustments from the Houston Rockets as the teams face each other in consecutive road games. The Lakers won the first matchup 100-92, relying on strong defense despite offensive struggles, particularly from Reaves, who shot 5-of-18 from the field and missed all eight of his three-point attempts.
The back-to-back games present a challenge as both teams look to adapt quickly. The Lakers limited Houston to just 35 points in the second half and forced them into shooting only 41.2 percent while committing 15 turnovers. With another game scheduled for Wednesday, Reaves said he expects Houston to make some changes but does not believe their overall approach will shift dramatically.
“Their identity is not gonna change, obviously. Xs and Os they might tweak some things here and there, but they’re still gonna play the way that they play every single game and that’s as hard as they possibly can,” Reaves said on Spectrum SportsNet. “They’re gonna look to get offensive rebounds, create extra possessions, swarm the ball. Hopefully I make some shots next game, but we shoot it good as a team and we’ll make our adjustments to whatever their adjustments are and it’ll be another good one.”
Houston is known for its physical style of play and leads the NBA in offensive rebounding. While their core strategy is unlikely to change between games, minor tactical tweaks could help them address late-game stagnation—a point even Rockets star Kevin Durant has acknowledged.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick also praised his team’s defensive effort in overcoming Houston’s physicality during the second half of their recent win. Redick highlighted how the Lakers matched Houston’s energy and remained focused defensively when it mattered most.
As both teams prepare for another contest—and potentially a playoff meeting—the focus remains on making timely adjustments and maintaining intensity.