In what could be the most fascinating philosophical clash of the 2020 NBA playoffs, the Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers will do battle in the second round of the 2020 NBA playoffs, starting Friday. Houston clinched its spot after defeating Oklahoma City in Wednesday’s Game 7.
The series will serve as the first career playoff meeting of James Harden versus LeBron James when both are starters. It features four All-Stars and three career MVPs between Harden, James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis. It offers the contrast of the massive size and power of the Lakers against the speed and shooting of the Rockets.
The top-seeded Lakers (52-19) were nearly 10 games better than the No. 4 Rockets (44-28) during the 2019-20 regular season, but Houston took two of three head-to-head meetings — including both after the well-publicized switch to a smaller lineup, which was likely made with the potential playoff matchup against the larger Lakers in mind.
Game 1 between the Rockets and Lakers is set for 8:00 p.m. Central on Friday, with a national broadcast on ESPN. The Lakers will be the “home” team in Game 1, Game 2, and Game 5 and Game 7 (if necessary) — though with all games played at the Disney World “bubble” in Florida, home-court advantage shouldn’t mean what it usually does.
Games will be played every other day until one team wins four games, with the winner advancing to the Western Conference Finals. The complete schedule for the West semifinals can be viewed below.
The NBA schedule for the second round. pic.twitter.com/zl0Il81KaV
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) September 2, 2020
