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Amen Thompson<\/strong> scored 23 points, Tari Eason<\/strong> added 20, and the Houston Rockets<\/strong> avoided elimination with a dominant 115-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers<\/strong> in Game 4<\/strong> of their Western Conference playoff series<\/strong> Sunday night.<\/p>\n The Rockets secured their first win of the series after falling into an 0-3 hole, doing so without Kevin Durant<\/strong> for a third straight game due to an ankle injury<\/strong>. Despite his absence, Houston delivered a balanced scoring performance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n All five starters scored at least 16 points, with Alperen Sengun<\/strong> contributing 19, Reed Sheppard<\/strong> adding 17, and Jabari Smith Jr.<\/strong> finishing with 16.<\/p>\n The Lakers were led by Deandre Ayton<\/strong>, who posted 19 points and 10 rebounds before being ejected<\/strong> in the third quarter for a flagrant foul<\/strong> on Sengun.<\/p>\n It was a tough night for LeBron James<\/strong>, who finished with just 10 points on 2-of-9 shooting, along with nine assists and eight turnovers. The Lakers also struggled from beyond the arc, making only five three-pointers<\/strong> after hitting 35 combined in the first three games.<\/p>\n The Rockets took control early, building momentum after their heartbreaking overtime loss<\/strong> in Game 3. A strong third quarter, fueled by Thompson and Sheppard, helped Houston extend the lead to 90-65 heading into the fourth.<\/p>\nGame 5 is set for Wednesday night in Los Angeles<\/h2>\n