Former NBA Champion Has Tough Message for Lakers After Game 5 Loss to Rockets

Kendrick Perkins did not hold back after the Lakers let Game 5 slip away against the Rockets. With Los Angeles falling 99-93 and Houston now just one win away from tying the series, the former champion ripped the Lakers for wasting what he saw as a must-win opportunity.

Perkins had already called the Rockets the "dumbest team" in the postseason, but after watching the Lakers' sloppy performance, he said they are right behind them. For Perkins, the turnovers, poor decision-making, and chaotic start were not just frustrating, they were a sign that Houston's confidence might actually be justified.

In a fiery rant the former champion said, "That was a must win situation for the Lakers last night and they (expletive) blew it. I said the Rockets are the dumbest team in the postseason, well guess who's right behind them the Los Angeles Lakers. The start of that game was making my damn skin crawl. The amount of (expletive) turnovers that was happening on both sides. I was like, I know you didn't just throw that pass. Sengun, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith they all been coming out publicly saying some things and to be honest it's been real. Believe Jabari Smith said we're the more talented team, he's not (expletive) lying and it's showing right now."

How Did the Lakers End Up in This Situation?

After looking buried earlier in the matchup, the Rockets grabbed another elimination-game win, beating Los Angeles 99-93 in Game 5 and cutting the series deficit to 3-2. The Lakers still have the lead, but the pressure has definitely shifted a little, especially with Game 6 heading back to Houston.

Jabari Smith Jr. backed up his confidence with 22 points, while Tari Eason added 18 in a gritty team effort. Alperen Sengun also gave Houston a little bit of everything, helping the Rockets stay organized even without Kevin Durant available for most of the series.

The Lakers, meanwhile, played like a team that knew it had chances to close things out but kept getting in its own way. LeBron James scored 25, Austin Reaves returned with 22, and Deandre Ayton had a big night on the glass, but the turnovers were brutal. Every time Los Angeles seemed ready to make a real push, a bad pass or rushed decision killed the momentum.

They did get close late, but Reed Sheppard delivered the biggest sequence of the night, hitting a jumper and then stealing the ball from LeBron for a dunk.

Now Houston goes home with belief, while the Lakers have a lot more to worry about than they did a few days ago.

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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 4:05 PM.