Dave McMenamin Apr 24, 2026, 11:16 PM ET Close Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN. Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09. HOUSTON -- Trailing by six with half a minute to go in the fourth quarter Friday, the Lakers appeared to have squandered their chance to go up 3-0 in their first-round series against the Rockets , letting a double-digit lead slip away after halftime. Until LeBron James and Marcus Smart , Los Angeles' two oldest players on the court, made some magic happen, that is. "The game's never over until zeroes on the clock," James said after the Lakers' 112-108 overtime win . Smart started the sequence by stealing Houston forward Jabari Smith Jr. 's pass with 27.8 seconds left and immediately launched into a 3-point attempt after securing the ball, drawing a foul on Jae'Sean Tate and making all three free throws to cut the lead in half.…