Everybody thought the Houston Rockets were going to sprint circles around the Los Angeles Lakers. The narrative before Game 1 of the 2020 Western Conference Semifinals was suffocating. People said the Lakers were too slow, too old, and too reliant on a traditional style that Mike D’Antoni’s "microball" had already rendered obsolete. Then the game happened. The Lakers didn't just win; they dismantled the idea that small-ball was the inevitable future of the NBA.
If you watched that series, you remember the tension. The Rockets came in with James Harden and Russell Westbrook playing a brand of basketball that looked like a math equation. No players over 6'8". Just shooters and speed. It was supposed to be the ultimate test for LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Most analysts predicted the Lakers would struggle to guard the perimeter. Instead, Frank Vogel’s squad showed that size still matters when it’s paired with elite basketball IQ.
The Lakers took Game 1 by sticking to a blueprint that many claimed was dead. They used their length to disrupt passing lanes and dared Houston’s secondary shooters to beat them. They didn't panic when the Rockets went on those patented 9-0 runs. They stayed patient. That’s the hallmark of a LeBron-led team. They don't play the game you want them to play; they force you to play theirs.
Small Ball Met a Big Wall
The biggest misconception about that Lakers team was that they were "plodding." People saw JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard and assumed the Lakers would be exploited on every switch. But the reality was different. Anthony Davis proved he's the most versatile defensive big man of his generation. He didn't just stay in the paint. He chased guards. He recovered. He made the rim look like it was two feet smaller than it actually was.
Houston’s offense relied on creating ISO advantages. James Harden is a master at drawing fouls and stepping back for three, but the Lakers didn't bite. They played him "flat," meaning they didn't overextend. They let him get his points while cutting off the oxygen to the rest of the team. Westbrook, meanwhile, struggled with the Lakers’ sagging defense. When you don't have to respect a guard’s jump shot, you can clog the lane. That’s exactly what happened.
The Rockets’ "microball" experiment was a gamble on efficiency. The logic is simple: three is more than two. If you shoot enough threes at a decent clip, you should outpace a team taking mid-range jumpers and post-ups. But the Lakers flipped the script by dominating the glass. You can't run your high-octane offense if you never get the rebound. The Lakers grabbed 41 rebounds to Houston's 36, and while that doesn't sound like a massive gap, the timing of those boards was everything.
LeBron James Still Controlled the Temperature
We often talk about LeBron's stats—the 20 points, the 8 rebounds, the 7 assists. Those are great, but they don't tell the story of how he controls a game’s rhythm. In Game 1, LeBron acted like a coach on the floor. He saw the Rockets’ defensive rotations before they even made them. He targeted mismatches with a surgical precision that made the Rockets’ defense look disorganized.
There was a specific sequence in the second half where LeBron stopped a Rockets fast break, turned it into a transition opportunity for the Lakers, and finished with a dunk that seemed to suck the air out of the building. It wasn't just a bucket. It was a message. It told Houston that their speed wouldn't save them.
Critics often point to LeBron’s age as a reason to doubt him, but his longevity is built on efficiency. He doesn't waste movements. In that Game 1 victory, he stayed within the flow of the game, letting Anthony Davis carry the scoring load early before taking over when the Rockets tried to make a late push. It’s a veteran move that younger stars like Harden and Westbrook hadn't quite mastered at that point.
The Role Players Who Actually Won the Game
You don't win a playoff series with just two superstars. The Lakers got massive contributions from guys like Rajon Rondo and Alex Caruso. Rondo, in particular, earned his "Playoff Rondo" nickname during this stretch. His ability to facilitate when LeBron was on the bench kept the Lakers from collapsing.
The Rockets’ bench was thin. They leaned heavily on their starters, and by the fourth quarter, you could see the fatigue. Running a small-ball lineup is exhausting. You’re constantly boxing out guys who are four inches taller and forty pounds heavier. It wears you down. By the time the Lakers were closing the door in the final minutes, the Rockets didn't have the legs to keep up their defensive intensity.
- Defensive Rotations: The Lakers didn't overreact to the three-ball.
- Physicality: They used their size to punish Houston in the paint.
- Pace Control: They didn't get sucked into a track meet.
Basketball isn't just about who has the best shooters. It's about who can dictate the terms of engagement. The Lakers decided they were going to be the more physical team, and the Rockets had no answer for it.
What This Win Taught the Rest of the League
That Game 1 victory wasn't just a win in a bracket. It was a reality check for the "analytics-only" crowd. It proved that while shooting is vital, you can't ignore the fundamentals of the game—rebounding, rim protection, and versatile defending. The Lakers didn't try to out-shoot the Rockets. They out-competed them.
The Rockets eventually folded in that series, losing in five games. It led to the end of the D’Antoni era and a complete teardown of that roster. Why? Because the Lakers exposed the fatal flaw in the microball system: it has no Plan B. When the shots aren't falling and the opponent is bigger and stronger, there's nowhere to turn.
The Lakers, on the other hand, had multiple gears. They could play big with two centers, or they could play "Lakers small" with Anthony Davis at the five. That flexibility is what wins championships. It’s why LeBron James has four rings and why the 2020 Lakers are remembered as one of the most physically imposing defensive teams in recent memory.
If you’re looking to improve your own game or even your understanding of basketball strategy, stop focusing solely on shooting drills. Look at how the Lakers moved without the ball. Watch how they communicated on defense. Those are the "boring" parts of the game that actually determine who holds the trophy at the end of the season. Analyze the tape from that series. You'll see a masterclass in how to dismantle a gimmick offense with disciplined, high-level basketball. Go watch the highlights again and pay attention to the spacing. It's the best coaching clinic you'll ever find.
