Lakers’ late comeback falls short in blowout loss to Rockets

Lakers forward Anthony Davis, right, has his shot attempt knocked away by Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura knocks down Houston Rockets forward Jae'Sean Tate on a drive to the basket during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell, center, puts up a shot between Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun, left, and guard Jalen Green during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun, left, looks to drive around Lakers forward Anthony Davis during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell shoots during the first half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun, right, dunks in front of Lakers forward LeBron James during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward LeBron James handles the ball as Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore defends during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

The Houston Rockets' Cam Whitmore celebrates after a 3-point shot during the first half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers forward Anthony Davis drives to the basket around Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura handles the ball during the first half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, left, spins to the basket in front of Lakers forward Taurean Prince during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt dunks during the first half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, right, is ejected after a pair of technical fouls as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, far left, looks on during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James looks on during the first half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell drives as Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James drives to the basket as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James (23) loses his balance as he is fouled by Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) while lookiing to shoot during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green celebrates after a basket during the first half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers guard Austin Reaves shoots as the Houston Rockets' Jae'Sean Tate defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James looks to drive as Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green, left, passes the ball as Lakers forward Taurean Prince defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Laker star LeBron James drives to the basket during the first half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star Anthony Davis looks to shoot as Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James drives to the basket as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green gets to the basket for a layup past Lakers guard Austin Reaves, back, and forward Rui Hachimura, left, during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka yells instructions from the sideline during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward LeBron James, left, reaches around to knock the ball away as Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. drives during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green, left, tries to keep control of the ball as he loses his footing in front of Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham yells from the bench during the second half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers star LeBron James passes the ball as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks lays on the court during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) passes the ball to center Alperen Sengun (28) as Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell, left, and forward Anthony Davis, right, defend during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura looks to score as Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun defends during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun dunks during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green battles for control of the ball against Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell, top, during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James holds his face after he was fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James stays down on the court after he was fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers forward LeBron James lays on the court holding his nose after a flagrant foul by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers coach Darvin Ham, top center, and others check on LeBron James as he lays on the court after he was fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks smiles Lakers star LeBron James holds his face after he was fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James holds a towel to his face after he was fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James looks on from the bench during the second half of their loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) tries to shoot as he is defended by Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, right, while forward LeBron James, left, looks on during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore, right, lays up a shot in front of Lakers forward Christian Wood during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles and her husband, Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens, attend the game between the Houston Rockets and the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles and her husband, Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens, attend the game between the Houston Rockets and the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

HOUSTON — The Lakers' 135-119 road loss to the Houston Rockets was the latest example of an issue that's plagued them for the last 1½ months: whenever it seems like they're about to have a breakthrough in their season, they have a game that leaves them back at .500.

Saturday's double-overtime victory over the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers' fifth win in seven games and one that put them over .500 for the first time since late December, looked like it could have been the start of that breakout.

And it still could, with four games remaining on this six-game trip and 34 left in the regular season after Monday.

But the Lakers (24-24) turned in a mostly abysmal defensive performance against the young, athletic Rockets (22-24) at the Toyota Center, continuing their trend of being between two games below .500 and a game above .500 for the last month.

The Lakers struggled in nearly every area defensively: they allowed 68 points in the paint (54 in the first three quarters), 19 second-chance points (13 in the opening three quarters) and 29 fast-break points (25).

The result was a 94-64 deficit with 7:34 left in the third and 108-84 at the end of the quarter.

"We just gave them too much early. We talk about shifting, showing bodies, coming into the game," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. "The last 10 games, they're [No. 2] in points in the paint. They're also 26th in assists. The biggest thing for us was trying to be great on the ball and have a ton of support behind that initial on-ball defender. And we gave them too much early: transition, easy drives, drop-offs. When a team gets a rhythm like that, gets their confidence, the next thing you know everything starts going in for them. They threw in some 3s early. They had too much access to our paint."

LeBron James (23 points, 10 assists), D'Angelo Russell (23 points, five assists) and Rui Hachimura (16 points) led a comeback attempt, cutting a 30-point third-quarter deficit to 10 late in the fourth, but it wasn't enough to make up for their early struggles.

"A lot of miscommunication on our end that kind led them getting some easy ones," Russell said. "You look up, that's all a team needs to get some momentum and some of the best players get some rhythm."

James was disappointed in how they performed to end the first quarter, after which they trailed 42-31.

"We just didn't get back," he said. "We didn't have a sense of care factor. We didn't have no care factor in those last two minutes."

Already missing defensive ace Cam Reddish (sprained ankle), the Lakers played most of the game without the defensive-minded Jarred Vanderbilt after he was ejected early in the second quarter. He received two technical fouls after making contact with Rockets wing Dillon Brooks (17 points).

"He's one of the best Swiss Army knives in the NBA," Ham said of Vanderbilt. "The amount of things he can do, from initiating the break, catching and finishing in the paint, playing in the half-roll, playing DHO (dribble handoff) basketball, offensive rebounding, getting deflections, steals, making all the hustle plays you can possibly ask for. A bunch that don't show up in the stat sheet. But he just gives us a lot of versatility doing the small intangibles that you need to win."

The lineup of James, Russell, Hachimura, Max Christie and Jaxson Hayes cut the deficit to 116-96 with 7:37 left in the fourth, with Austin Reaves (six points, five assists) subbing in for Christie at that point, before the Lakers cut the deficit to 10 (121-111) on James' pull-up 3-pointer with 3:54 remaining.

But their shotmaking fell off from there, missing their next three field-goal attempts, and they didn't get any closer. Ham subbed James, Russell and Reaves out with the Lakers trailing 126-111 with 2:13 remaining.

"I've been in games when I've been up 30 and maybe I've lost that game," James said. "I've been in games where I've been down 30 and won games. So, the game is never won or lost when you're up a certain amount of points until there's zeros on the clock."

Anthony Davis (23 points, seven rebounds in 29 minutes) didn't play after subbing out late in the third quarter. Ham mentioned the Lakers making their comeback with Hayes at center and Davis having aggravated his groin/hip injury on Saturday for reasons that Davis didn't go back in.

Davis said postgame that his groin was "a little sore" and that he "just couldn't move how I usually move, both ends of the floor."

The Lakers were also playing on the first night of a back-to-back, with a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday at State Farm Arena awaiting them.

Davis said he didn't know whether he'd play against the Hawks.

James, who played 37 minutes against the Rockets, said he plans to play on Tuesday. The 39-year-old has played in both games in five of the Lakers' eight sets of back-to-backs so far this season.

The Rockets were led by Jalen Green's 34 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and Alperen Şengün's 31 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

Cam Whitmore, the No. 20 pick in last June's NBA draft, added 20 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench.