NBA 2018-19: 3 talking points from Houston Rockets' victory over Los Angeles Lakers

The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 126-111 in what was a close encounter till late in the fourth quarter. The Rockets had already won the first encounter between the two teams at the Staples Center, so this result has reinforced the idea that they have the Lakers' number this season.

The Lakers came into this match on the back of a two-game winning streak, but they could not close out the deal against a Rockets team that has struggled for consistency this season.

The Rockets took a six-point lead into the halftime break, but the Lakers kept hanging around and had the lead in the third quarter. Ultimately though, the Rockets got back to their dominance and ran away with a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter.

The Rockets were again led by the reigning MVP James Harden, who has now become the first player to record four 50-point triple-doubles. The Rockets also shot the ball well from the deep, connecting on 15 three pointers for the match.

The Rockets are now the 13th ranked team in the Western Conference with a 13-14 record, while the Lakers remain at the fifth position with a 17-11 record.

Here are the top 3 takeaways from the match:

#3 Great effort shown on the boards by the Rockets

Capela was dominant on the boards

The difference in rebounding was probably one of the biggest reasons that got the Rockets home in this match. They had 15 offensive rebounds compared to only 7 by the Lakers.

The Rockets had 27 second chance points while the Lakers had only 9 for the game.

Clint Capela led the team in rebounds, grabbing 14 boards, while Harden also chipped in with 10 boards. The Rockets also showed better effort on defense than they had shown in earlier matches.

The Rockets are a tough team to play against despite their struggles this season. When they start executing most of the basics correctly, it becomes extremely difficult to beat them.

#2 Poor execution in the clutch period from the Lakers

LeBron James could not close this one out for the Lakers

The match was pretty close throughout. The Lakers even had the lead at one point, going ahead 101-99, but everything went haywire for them from there.

The Rockets made two three-pointers on two consecutive possessions to get back the lead, and the Lakers just couldn't come back after that.

James Harden checked back into the game and torched the Lakers. He scored 9 points all by himself on three possessions to help the Rockets take a 12-point lead. Two of those possessions ended in step back threes.

The Lakers also became very passive on the offensive end. LeBron James had 27 points after only 3 quarters, but he was not his usual self in the fourth quarter and added only two points.

The other Lakers players also failed to produce buckets. Poor free throw shooting further aggravated the situation for them.

The Lakers next play the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.

#1 Dominating performance from the reigning MVP

Harden had a 50 point triple double

James Harden had another memorable performance for Houston. He scored 50 points for the game to go along with 10 rebounds and 11 assists. He also shot 14-26 from the field and an unreal 18-19 from the free throw line.

The Lakers struggled to prevent Harden from getting to the line all night. Harden also has the most 3PT made for the season.

The 29-year-old is one of the craftiest players in the history of the NBA, and at times it looks almost impossible to stop him on the offensive end. He keeps making tough shots or going to the charity stripe, making life very difficult for the opposition.

Harden also leads the league in scoring right now, after having already won the scoring title last season.

The Rockets will be hoping for similar performances from Harden if they are to get out of the mess they currently find themselves in. They next visit the Grizzlies on Saturday.