The Los Angeles Lakers are just one win from moving on to the second round, but if you look at the betting lines, you’d never know it.

Even though Kevin Durant is still out for the Rockets, the Action Network has the Lakers as 3.5-point underdogs on the road for Game 6. The moneyline puts LA at +150 and Houston at -180. So, even with the Lakers up 3-2 in the series, Game 6 in Houston still tilts toward the Rockets.

It makes sense, honestly. Houston’s managed two straight elimination wins, including a 99-93 victory in LA in Game 5. Jabari Smith Jr. dropped 22 points, Tari Eason chipped in 18, and Alperen Sengun nearly had a triple-double. The series heads back to the Toyota Centre, and there’s some real momentum on the Rockets’ side.

Now the Lakers get a third shot at closing things out. Austin Reaves is back and healthy, which helps, but Luka Doncic remains out with his hamstring issue. Meanwhile, Houston has pieced together enough offence (and just tough defence) without Durant to turn this into a real fight.

Austin Reaves Is Back

Getting Reaves back is probably the best news the Lakers have had in a while, even if it didn’t stop the Rockets from forcing Game 6.

Reaves came off the bench in Game 5 and scored 22 after missing the last five games of the regular season and the first four playoff games thanks to that oblique injury back in early April. And let’s be real, the Lakers desperately needed another creator to help out LeBron. During the regular season, Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds. His ability to break down defenders, hit open shots, and attack off the dribble adds important structure to their offence, especially late in close games.

But you could tell he wasn’t quite 100% yet. Yes, he scored, but the Lakers still only put up 93 points. They missed a bunch of good looks down the stretch, which let Houston sneak away with the win. LeBron led the way with 25, and DeAndre Ayton had a monster game with 18 points and 17 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough.

Reaves raises the Lakers’ floor. Game 6 will be a big test to see if he can help them reach another level because that’s what they need.

Kevin Durant Is Still Out for Houston

On paper, Durant’s absence should tip things in the Lakers' favour. He led Houston with 26 points per game this season and is one of the best at creating a shot against tough defences. But Houston’s won the last two games without him, and the oddsmakers still make the Rockets the favourites for Game 6.

Why? Depth, energy, and balance. Houston managed to hold LA under 100 in Game 5, forced mistakes, and got some big fourth-quarter plays from Reed Sheppard after the Lakers had clawed back to within three.

So, no, Durant being out isn’t enough. The Lakers still have to break the Rockets' pressure, punish them for helping on LeBron, and avoid the sluggish stretches that killed them in Game 5.

Luka Doncic Update: Still Out

There’s still no timeline for Doncic's return, and that’s the cloud hanging over the Lakers’ playoff run.

He’s dealing with a hamstring injury, hasn’t gotten back to real on-court work, and probably won’t be available for at least the start of the next round if the Lakers get there.

That means LA needs to finish the Rockets as soon as possible. Win Game 6, and you get valuable rest. Lose, and you force a Game 7 in LA, but you’re just adding more wear and tear to LeBron, Reaves, and everyone else while Luka continues to sit.

The Lakers have survived without Doncic before, remember? They jumped out to a 3-0 lead without him and got Reaves back before Houston could fully rally. Getting past Houston without Luka is one thing; making a real run in the West is something else entirely.

Doncic being out shrinks the Lakers’ margin for error. Reaves’ return helps, and Durant’s absence gives them an opening, but the Rockets have already proven they don’t need Durant to win. Oddsmakers are still siding with Houston at home.

Here’s where the Lakers stand: They need to finish this thing in Houston. Otherwise, what’s already a complicated situation could only get messier.

The Minnesota Timberwolves just got hit with some tough news right in the middle of their first-round playoff series. They won Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, 110-96, taking a 3-1 lead, but that win comes with a high cost. Two starters, Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo, both left the game early with serious injuries, and suddenly, the rest of the playoffs feel a lot more uncertain.

The biggest worry is Anthony Edwards. He messed up his left knee late in the first half, landing awkwardly after contesting a shot. He went down right away and needed help getting to the locker room. Tests confirmed what Timberwolves fans feared: Edwards suffered a bone bruise and a hyperextension. There’s some good news here: no ligament damage, but he’s still expected to miss “multiple weeks", according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. That rules him out for the rest of the first round, and maybe even longer.

Edwards wasn’t just the Wolves’ leading scorer; he basically carried them through much of their playoff push. Now, with him out, everybody else has to pick up the slack. The pressure is real, but in Game 4, the team didn’t blink. Ayo Dosunmu came off the bench and dropped a career-high 43 points; it was just the fourth time in NBA history someone had scored 40-plus off the bench in a playoff game. Players like Mike Conley are expected to do even more now, and rotations are going to look pretty different as they scramble to adjust without their star guard.

As if that wasn’t enough, Donte DiVincenzo’s injury makes things even rougher. He went down only 79 seconds into the game. Nobody was near him; he was just chasing his own rebound and ended up tearing his right Achilles tendon. He walked off the court, but soon after, he needed a wheelchair and a splint. The Timberwolves quickly confirmed he’s out for the season.

After the game, Coach Chris Finch sounded gutted. “Completely devastating for Donte. He’s had such a great season. He’s the heart and soul of so many things that we do. You could see the look in his eye when it happened, and you knew. We’ll love him and be there for him.” DiVincenzo has been huge for Minnesota, both shooting from the perimeter and creating havoc on defence.

So now, with two major pieces missing from their backcourt, the Timberwolves are staring down the rest of this series and maybe the playoffs shorthanded. Sure, they showed resilience by winning Game 4 without their main guys, and that 3-1 cushion gives them some breathing room. But this isn’t a minor setback. It’s a test, a big one. Can the rest of these guys keep the ship steady? Game 5 will have a different look, and the pressure’s on for everyone left to step up and keep the season alive.