Lakers top Rockets 104-98 as Doncic scores 20, team manages Hachimura’s minutes
The Lakers handled business at home Monday night, beating the Houston Rockets 104-98 behind Luka Doncic’s 20-point performance.
Los Angeles now sits at 46-29 with just seven games left in the regular season. That’s good enough for 4th place in a competitive Western Conference.
But as the playoffs approach, the team is taking a cautious approach with forward Rui Hachimura. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers have placed Hachimura on a minutes restriction to ensure he’s fully healthy when the postseason begins.
Hachimura has been a key piece for the Lakers since they acquired him from Washington during the 2022-23 season. The former Gonzaga star and 9th overall pick in the 2019 draft has appeared in 156 games for Los Angeles, starting 101 of them.
This season hasn’t been without challenges for the 27-year-old forward.
He’s putting up solid numbers – 12.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting an impressive 41.2% from three-point range on 4.1 attempts.
But a knee injury sidelined him for 12 straight games in February and March, forcing him to miss nearly a month of action.
Since returning, Hachimura has played in five of the Lakers’ last six games, though with carefully managed minutes.
Buha reports the team is trying to keep Hachimura in the “sweet spot” regarding his playing time. It’s a delicate balance – giving him enough court time to stay sharp while not risking re-injury.
The cautious approach makes perfect sense. With LeBron James not getting any younger, the Lakers know their championship window won’t stay open forever.
Having Hachimura at full strength for the playoffs, which begin in about three weeks, could be the difference between an early exit and a deep postseason run.
