The playoffs show more than just talent; they also show how well players can make decisions when the pressure is on. The Lakers won Game 3 in overtime, and Kendrick Perkins' harsh words about Houston's mistakes on the court turned out to be true.

The analyst questioned the team's leadership and basketball IQ after they made some bad mistakes in the last few seconds.

“They are the dumbest team in the playoffs. They are the most dysfunctional team in the playoffs… This has been the Rockets not only in the postseason, but all season long. People say they need a point guard and all this, but no. You’re supposed to have some level of IQ if you’re a basketball player,” Perkins said.

Perkins' assessment is shown in the last 35 seconds of overtime for the Rockets. Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard made careless turnovers that gave Marcus Smart and LeBron James easy steals.

The statistical paradox backs up Perkins' point even more. Houston took 19 more shots, controlled the offensive glass (18 rebounds to LA's 9), and made fewer mistakes overall, but they still lost by a wide margin.

The Lakers' defense was poor without Kevin Durant. The other team shot 28.7% from three (the third-worst in the playoffs) and only scored 85.9 points per 100 half-court possessions.

The Rockets missed out on chances with a high percentage, which made Perkins even more worried about their situational awareness.

Perkins said that they had the better game on paper, but they didn't know how to turn advantages into wins.

Los Angeles took advantage of the Rockets' mistakes at the end of the game to make a big comeback.

How LA's Dominance Validated Perkins' Harsh Assessment

The Los Angeles Lakers gave a stunning performance to defeat the Houston Rockets 112-108 in overtime. Led by LeBron James, the iconic player, the Lakers took a commanding 3-0 lead in their playoff series.

James recorded 29 points and a clutch game-winning three-pointer with 13.6 seconds left in regulation.

Marcus Smart then took over in the extra period, shooting eight of his 21 points, sealing the win with key plays on both ends. The young Rockets were led by Alperen Sengun, who scored 33 points and 16 rebounds.

They went from an early 15-point deficit to a six-point deficit with fewer than 30 seconds left, but their errors trapped them.

Los Angeles enters Game 4 with a chance to complete the series sweep.

Do you think Houston can mount an improbable comeback, or is this series over? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

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Written by

Hetal Moleshri

Edited by

Utsav Gupta