LOS ANGELES -- — Luka Doncic had 39 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and the Los Angeles Lakers clinched the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a 140-109 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.

Austin Reaves scored 23 points for the Lakers, who also clinched the Pacific Division title for only the second time in the last 13 seasons and won 50 games for just the second time in 14 years.

LeBron James scored 14 points before sitting out the final 19 minutes of Los Angeles' sixth win in eight games. Doncic played only the first three quarters.

Taking care of business against Houston likely means James and Doncic will get at least a full week off between this game and the start of the playoffs.

Alperen Sengun, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and Jae’Sean Tate all sat out for the Rockets, leaving Houston without six of its top seven scorers.

Cam Whitmore scored a career-high 34 points for Houston, which clinched the No. 2 seed in the West on Tuesday when the Lakers lost at Oklahoma City. Four starters then sat out Wednesday while the Rockets lost to the Clippers.

Bronny James played the final 4:23.

Takeaways

Rockets: “The argument is rest versus rust, I guess — getting them what they need with the layoff that’s coming,” Houston coach Ime Udoka said. “But we want to be smart about it. What I told the group was, you’ve earned the right to choose the path you want to take.”

Lakers: Dorian Finney-Smith had another strong perimeter game, hitting six 3-pointers.

Key moment

When Udoka decided to rest four starters and two key reserves.

Key stat

The Lakers have won 25 Pacific Division titles since the NBA began divisional play in 1970.

Up next

The Lakers visit Portland on Sunday, and the Rockets host Denver.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Jock Landale vs. Jaxson Hayes (Luka Doncic gains possession)	0	0
11:45	Luka Doncic misses driving layup	0	0
11:43	Jeff Green defensive rebound	0	0
11:30	Reed Sheppard makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jeff Green assists)	0	3
11:17	LeBron James makes 1-foot alley oop dunk shot (Luka Doncic assists)	2	3
10:59	Cam Whitmore makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot	2	6
10:51	LeBron James makes 26-foot three pointer	5	6
10:39	Cam Whitmore misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	5	6
10:37	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	5	6
10:35	Luka Doncic out of bounds bad pass turnover	5	6
10:13	Reed Sheppard misses driving floating jump shot	5	6
10:10	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	5	6
10:00	Jaxson Hayes makes 1-foot alley oop dunk shot (LeBron James assists)	7	6
9:41	Jalen Green makes 4-foot two point shot	7	8
9:33	Austin Reaves misses driving layup	7	8
9:30	Jeff Green defensive rebound	7	8
9:29	Jaxson Hayes shooting foul	7	8
9:29	Jeff Green makes free throw 1 of 2	7	9
9:29	Jeff Green makes free throw 2 of 2	7	10
9:17	LeBron James misses 27-foot three point jumper	7	10
9:14	Jalen Green defensive rebound	7	10
9:07	Jalen Green makes 27-foot three point step back jumpshot	7	13
8:47	Luka Doncic makes 5-foot driving floating jump shot	9	13
8:34	Jalen Green misses 22-foot step back jumpshot	9	13
8:31	LeBron James defensive rebound	9	13
8:25	Rui Hachimura misses 23-foot three point jumper	9	13
8:20	Jaxson Hayes offensive rebound	9	13
8:16	Austin Reaves makes 26-foot three point jumper (Rui Hachimura assists)	12	13
7:55	Jock Landale traveling	12	13
7:55	Dorian Finney-Smith enters the game for Jaxson Hayes	12	13
7:44	Luka Doncic misses 27-foot three point step back jumpshot	12	13
7:41	Cam Whitmore defensive rebound	12	13
7:33	Cam Whitmore makes 19-foot step back jumpshot	12	15
7:17	Luka Doncic bad pass (Cam Whitmore steals)	12	15
7:13	Cam Whitmore makes dunk	12	17
7:13	Lakers Full timeout	12	17
7:13	Nate Williams enters the game for Jalen Green	12	17
7:01	LeBron James makes 20-foot jumper (Luka Doncic assists)	14	17
6:46	Cam Whitmore misses 27-foot three point pullup jump shot	14	17
6:42	Cam Whitmore offensive rebound	14	17
6:41	Jeff Green makes 27-foot three point jumper (Cam Whitmore assists)	14	20
6:29	LeBron James misses 27-foot three point step back jumpshot	14	20
6:29	Lakers offensive team rebound	14	20
6:23	Austin Reaves bad pass (Jock Landale steals)	14	20
6:19	Gabe Vincent enters the game for LeBron James	14	20
6:15	Reed Sheppard misses 11-foot jumper	14	20
6:13	Rui Hachimura defensive rebound	14	20
6:07	Luka Doncic makes driving layup	16	20
6:07	Jeff Green shooting foul	16	20
6:07	Luka Doncic makes free throw 1 of 1	17	20
5:52	Nate Williams makes driving layup	17	22
5:39	Luka Doncic makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	20	22
5:29	Jock Landale makes 6-foot two point shot (Jeff Green assists)	20	24
5:20	Luka Doncic misses 27-foot three point step back jumpshot	20	24
5:17	Jock Landale defensive rebound	20	24
5:14	Nate Williams bad pass (Dorian Finney-Smith steals)	20	24
5:00	Austin Reaves makes driving layup	22	24
5:00	Jock Landale shooting foul	22	24
5:00	David Roddy enters the game for Jeff Green	22	24
5:00	Austin Reaves makes free throw 1 of 1	23	24
4:47	David Roddy misses 26-foot three point jumper	23	24
4:44	Austin Reaves defensive rebound	23	24
4:40	Austin Reaves lost ball turnover (Reed Sheppard steals)	23	24
4:36	Nate Williams traveling	23	24
4:36	Jordan Goodwin enters the game for Austin Reaves	23	24
4:24	Dorian Finney-Smith makes 23-foot three point jumper (Luka Doncic assists)	26	24
4:09	N'Faly Dante enters the game for Jock Landale	26	24
4:09	Aaron Holiday enters the game for Reed Sheppard	26	24
4:09	Cam Whitmore vs. Jordan Goodwin (Nate Williams gains possession)	26	24
3:58	Nate Williams misses 5-foot two point shot	26	24
3:54	N'Faly Dante offensive rebound	26	24
3:54	N'Faly Dante misses tip shot	26	24
3:53	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	26	24
3:47	Luka Doncic makes 6-foot two point shot	28	24
3:34	Nate Williams misses 26-foot three point jumper	28	24
3:30	Jordan Goodwin defensive rebound	28	24
3:18	Jordan Goodwin misses 15-foot pullup jump shot	28	24
3:14	Nate Williams defensive rebound	28	24
3:11	Cam Whitmore makes 26-foot running pullup jump shot (Nate Williams assists)	28	27
2:58	Aaron Holiday shooting foul	28	27
2:58	Rockets Full timeout	28	27
2:58	Jarred Vanderbilt enters the game for Rui Hachimura	28	27
2:58	LeBron James enters the game for Jordan Goodwin	28	27
2:58	Jalen Green enters the game for Cam Whitmore	28	27
2:58	Luka Doncic makes free throw 1 of 2	29	27
2:58	Luka Doncic makes free throw 2 of 2	30	27
2:45	Nate Williams makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot (N'Faly Dante assists)	30	29
2:31	Jarred Vanderbilt makes dunk (LeBron James assists)	32	29
2:12	David Roddy makes 27-foot three point jumper (Jalen Green assists)	32	32
1:56	Luka Doncic makes 28-foot three point step back jumpshot	35	32
1:41	Jalen Green misses 27-foot three point step back jumpshot	35	32
1:36	Jalen Green offensive rebound	35	32
1:34	David Roddy misses 25-foot three point jumper	35	32
1:31	Rockets offensive team rebound	35	32
1:31	Austin Reaves enters the game for Dorian Finney-Smith	35	32
1:21	Jarred Vanderbilt blocks Jalen Green 's 5-foot driving layup	35	32
1:19	Jarred Vanderbilt defensive rebound	35	32
1:17	Austin Reaves lost ball turnover (Nate Williams steals)	35	32
1:12	Jalen Green misses two point shot	35	32
1:09	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	35	32
54.1	N'Faly Dante personal foul	35	32
43.1	LeBron James misses 12-foot two point shot	35	32
39.1	N'Faly Dante defensive rebound	35	32
31.1	Nate Williams misses 5-foot two point shot	35	32
28.0	Austin Reaves defensive rebound	35	32
10.0	Austin Reaves makes 25-foot jump bank shot (LeBron James assists)	38	32
6.1	Gabe Vincent personal foul	38	32
6.1	Jordan Goodwin enters the game for Luka Doncic	38	32
1.0	Jalen Green misses 27-foot three point pullup jump shot	38	32
0.0	Rockets offensive team rebound	38	32
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	38	32

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

crypto.com Arena

Los Angeles, CA

Date & Time

2:30 AM, April 12, 2025

Coverage

NBA TV, Spectrum Sports Net, Space City Home Network

Attendance

18,997

Referees

Kevin Cutler, Kevin Scott, Nate Green

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	43	16	.729	W11
Houston	37	22	.627	L1
Memphis	22	36	.379	W1
Dallas	21	38	.356	L2
New Orleans	19	42	.311	W4

2025-26 Pacific Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
LA Lakers	35	24	.593	W1
Phoenix	34	26	.567	W1
Golden State	31	29	.517	L1
LA Clippers	27	31	.466	L3
Sacramento	14	47	.230	W1

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Luka scores 39 points, Lakers wrap up Pacific title and No. 3 seed with win over resting Rockets

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