LeBron James Furiously Deflects Jabari Smith Jr.’s ‘Better Team’ Claim After Disappointing Game 5 Loss

LeBron James makes his feelings known on Jabari Smith Jr's comments.

LeBron James Furiously Deflects Jabari Smith Jr.’s ‘Better Team’ Claim After Disappointing Game 5 Loss

Lakers could ask LeBron James to stay (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • LeBron James lost a close-out game at home for the first time in 18 years as the Lakers fell to the Rockets 99-93.
  • Jabari Smith Jr. claimed the Rockets were the better team despite being down 3-1, prompting a dismissive response from James.
  • The Rockets forced a Game 6 with balanced scoring, led by Smith Jr.'s 22 points, while James struggled with no three-pointers made.

LeBron James was not able to win a close-out game at home for the first time in 18 years. Heading into Game 5, many expected that the Los Angeles Lakers would seal the series and book their spot in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Unfortunately, that was not the case as the Houston Rockets registered a 99-93 victory over the purple and gold at the Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night. After going down 3-0, the Rockets have bounced back with two consecutive wins.

Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. said that the Rockets were a better team than the Lakers despite being 3-1 down heading into Game 5. When asked about his statements, James brushed them off and wasn’t interested in getting into it.

I don’t care about s**t like that, bro. The game is played between the four lines. I don’t give a damn who cares. I mean, why would anyone say ‘Oh, we’re not the better team’? Ask one of them young ones that question, I’m too old for that s**t .

LeBron James in his post-game media scrum

Game 5 was an intense match from start to finish. The Rockets were looking to keep their 2025-26 campaign alive, while the Lakers would have wanted to close it out on Wednesday, as the Oklahoma City Thunder had already sealed their place in the second round.

LeBron James has been impressive throughout the series. He was the game’s leading scorer with 25 points. With Austin Reaves back, James will be relieved to have some of the scoring burden lifted off his shoulders heading into Game 6.

The Lakers did get back into the game after trailing by double-digit points in the fourth quarter. But it wasn’t enough as the Rockets held their nerves, unlike in Game 3.

Nick Wright on Jabari Smith Jr.’s comments

When the Rockets’ young star made the comments about being the better team, they were down 3-1. While it did show the team isn’t defeated, it was a surprising statement given the situation they were in.

Sports analyst Nick Wright fired back at Jabari Smith Jr.‘s comments.

I just don’t know who [the Rockets] think they are. This is a mortifying playoff failure they’re in the midst of. Flatly.

Nick Wright on First Things First

In the end, Smith Jr. did back up his statements in Game 5 as the Rockets forced a Game 6 on Friday at home. After dropping two straight games, the pressure will be mounting on the Lakers. They have history on their side as no team has ever won a series after going down 3-0, but the Rockets are a younger team and look hungrier at the moment.

Jabari Smith Jr. stepped up as LeBron James struggled from three in Game 5

After a strong start by the Lakers in the first quarter, the Rockets looked unstoppable and never let go of their lead for the rest of the game. Despite a spirited comeback by the Lakers, which brought them within three points in the fourth quarter, the Rockets showed their pedigree in the absence of their primary scorer, Kevin Durant.

Jabari Smith Jr.
Jabari Smith Jr. (Image credits – TheRocketsWire/X)

The Rockets had all five of their starters scoring double-digit points on Wednesday. Jabari Smith Jr. led the scorers with a team-high 22 points in a little over 42 minutes of playing time. Meanwhile, LeBron James struggled from beyond the arc. He didn’t make a single three-pointer despite taking six attempts.

With all the remaining starters chipping in as well, the Rockets leaned on balanced scoring and played some physical and tough defense. The job is far from finished for the Rockets, but they will be looking to build on their momentum heading into Game 6 in Houston.

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