Rockets beat Lakers to keep playoff series alive, Wembanyama returns in Spurs win

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thompson-amen/MHqT31bM/"]Amen Thompson[/a] scored 23 points to fuel the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-rockets/Sr9PQALP/"]Rockets[/a], who bounced back from a crushing overtime loss on Friday [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/houston-rockets-Sr9PQALP/los-angeles-lakers-ngegZ8bg/?mid=fFWfUJ2n"]to cut the deficit in their best-of-seven Western Conference series to 3-1[/a].[/p][p]The Spurs and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Boston Celtics[/a] took commanding 3-1 leads in their series, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]San Antonio[/a] rallying from 19 points down to beat the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portland-trail-blazers/4Awl14c5/"]Trail Blazers[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/portland-trail-blazers-4Awl14c5/san-antonio-spurs-IwmkErSH/?mid=raVIJTlR"]114-93[/a] in Portland and Boston thrashing the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]76ers[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/boston-celtics-KYD9hVEm/philadelphia-76ers-vwRW2QSh/?mid=zordgtzg"]128-96[/a] in Philadelphia.[/p][p]In Toronto, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toronto-raptors/CxtbCMdU/"]Raptors[/a] edged the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-cavaliers/xGk13Tb6/"]Cleveland Cavaliers[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/cleveland-cavaliers-xGk13Tb6/toronto-raptors-CxtbCMdU/?mid=KMX3APBD"]93-89[/a] to level their series at two games apiece.[/p][p]Denied a sweep in Houston, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Lakers[/a] can still finish off the Rockets when they host game five on Wednesday.[/p][p]The Rockets, still without star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/durant-kevin/pKXcd9rI/"]Kevin Durant[/a], harried the Lakers into 24 turnovers, yielding 30 Houston points.[/p][embed guid="73b0dbde-2c0b-4cae-a8aa-4bd08d3cc363" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2048619458910978360" social-type="twitter" /][p]Four-time NBA champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-lebron/nuIVxFJk/"]LeBron James[/a] made just two of nine attempts from the floor on the way to 10 points. He handed out nine assists but made eight turnovers.[/p][p]With Los Angeles still missing their top scorers in injured [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doncic-luka/pQ4ZBK0o/"]Luka Doncic[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/austin-reaves/xlCMu1nk/"]Austin Reaves[/a], centre [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ayton-deandre/bwx7ZyAr/"]Deandre Ayton[/a] led the Lakers with 19 points and 10 rebounds.[/p][p]But Los Angeles were already down by 19 when he was ejected in the third quarter after catching Rockets centre [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sengun-alperen/6VXU9SGb/"]Alperen Sengun[/a] in the head with his forearm.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eason-tari/zg1IXqlq/"]Tari Eason[/a] added 20 points, and Sengun scored 19 for Houston, who are trying to become the first NBA team to rally from a 0-3 deficit to win a playoff series.[/p][p]In Portland, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wembanyama-victor/jFmM1MFl/"]Wembanyama[/a] returned after missing one game because of a concussion and scored 27 points with 11 rebounds, three assists, four steals and a whopping seven blocked shots.[/p][p]"[b]I had lots of emotions in me before the game, obviously[/b]," said Wembanyama, named the 2026 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and in the running for Most Valuable Player.[/p][p]"[b]Excitement, frustration, so I let it all out tonight[/b]," he said.[/p][embed guid="c5318966-f4ce-48a6-98b5-f0b12276680a" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2048532041839313056" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 22-year-old Frenchman praised the doctors who oversaw his path through the NBA concussion protocol, but voiced dissatisfaction with the process that requires a gradual return to physical activity under medical supervision.[/p][p]"[b]The way the situation was handled was very disappointing[/b]," Wembanyama said, declining to elaborate.[/p][h2]Celtics spoil Embiid return[/h2][p]San Antonio's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fox-de-aaron/Ysw8Hl5J/"]De'Aaron Fox[/a] led all scorers with 28 points, and the Spurs out-scored the Trail Blazers 73-35 in the second half.[/p][p]They'll try to clinch the series when they host game five on Tuesday.[/p][p]The Celtics spoiled the return of 76ers star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/embiid-joel/G2hZm0nI/"]Joel Embiid[/a], who played his first game since having an emergency appendectomy on April 9th.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pritchard-payton/SWoc4GBt/"]Payton Pritchard[/a] scored 32 points off the bench and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tatum-jayson/t4Y4e7r0/"]Jayson Tatum[/a] scored 30 points with seven rebounds and 11 assists for the Celtics, who led by 16 points after one quarter and by double digits the rest of the way.[/p][embed guid="3f632d90-e0ee-40c6-86fd-53f15e7b2b7c" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2048582925327700258" social-type="twitter" /][p]Embiid led the 76ers with 26 points and 10 rebounds, but Philadelphia couldn't counter the Celtics' rain of 24 three-pointers.[/p][p]In Toronto, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barnes-scott/EuVVM62p/"]Scottie Barnes[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ingram-brandon/jJ12C7e8/"]Brandon Ingram[/a] scored 23 points apiece as the Raptors held off the Cavaliers despite making just four of 30 from three-point range.[/p][p]The Raptors trailed by five with 2:10 left to play but powered to the lead with a 9-0 scoring burst and held on.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mitchell-donovan/hhFqipLe/"]Donovan Mitchell[/a] scored 20 points to lead the Cavs and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/harden-james/zm5V3CZo/"]James Harden[/a] added 19, but Mitchell missed two attempts in the final 30 seconds as Barnes made six free throws down the stretch to seal it.[/p][embed guid="f202abe3-e58a-4f04-8206-9ef1dcdfb491" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2048513207820550544" social-type="twitter" /]