Why Nick Wright believes LeBron James, Lakers could put Rockets away in Game 2

It appears the Houston Rockets are more dependent on the 37-year-old Kevin Durant than fans maybe even realized, but the Los Angeles Lakers are relying on their own aging legend to will them through the first round of the NBA playoffs. The 41-year-old LeBron James scored 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting and also recorded 13 assists, eight rebounds, two steals and one block in Saturday’s 107-98 Game 1 win versus the Durant-less Rockets. If he can post another big performance inside Crypto.com Arena, then LA could bring a 2-0 lead to the Toyota Center.

And if that happens, the series could be over. Just ask Nick Wright. The Fox Sports 1 pundit cited an illuminating statistic to justify his vehement stance.

“LeBron, in his career, 32 times has gone up two games in a series. {His teams} are 32-0, which means if the Rockets lose tonight, it’s over,” Wright said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd.”

“So a 41 year old, year 23 LeBron shouldn’t be able to give [Houston] so much trouble, except of course he can… If the Rockets lose tonight, it’s over.”

Nick Wright ahead of the Rockets’ Game 2 matchup vs the Lakers

(via @TheHerd) pic.twitter.com/Y0ULRj1Huj

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If the Lakers protect home-court advantage before heading on the road, they will be in a strong position to advance. While Luka Doncic works his way back from his hamstring strain, the belief is that Austin Reaves could return from his oblique strain during this first-round series. Adding another high-level scorer and impactful playmaker would put Houston in a tough spot, never mind if Doncic comes back in the next couple of weeks.

However, the “First Things First” personality is neglecting one important fact. A healthy Kevin Durant could be a massive series-changer. The two-time NBA Finals MVP missed Game 1 with a knee injury and is questionable for Tuesday night’s clash. If he can make it back onto the court, trouble could befall the opposition.

Durant could rattle a Lakers defense that looked incredibly dominant last weekend. Perhaps LA still has enough firepower to prevail, especially if Luke Kennard drops 20-plus points again, but Nick Wright should not be so quick to dismiss the No. 5 seed. They say the series does not really start until a squad wins on the road.

The Rockets will have the opportunity to do exactly that in Game 2. LeBron James will do everything in his power to put Houston on its heels in this opening-round playoffs matchup. The action tips off at 10:30 p.m. ET.

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