James Harden, Rockets, Beat LeBron James, Lakers After Brawl, Ejections

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

The Houston Rockets downed the Los Angeles Lakers 125-115 in a heated affair as LeBron James made his Purple and Gold debut at Staples Center on Saturday night. 

James Harden paced the Rockets (1-1) with 37 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Chris Paul stuffed the stat sheet with 28 points, 10 dimes and seven boards before he was ejected for his role in a fourth-quarter melee that included Rajon Rondo and Brandon Ingram. 

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James did the heavy lifting for the Lakers (0-2) with 24 points, five rebounds and five assists. In all, seven Lakers scored in double figures, including JaVale McGee (16 points, six rebounds, five blocks) and Lonzo Ball (14 points). 

Lakers-Rockets Looks Like Heated Rivalry

When James bolted for Los Angeles in the offseason, the NBA lost the rivalry between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors—one of the few the league had.

However, that void may soon be filled by the Lakers and Rockets thanks to Paul, Rondo and bad blood that has been percolating for nearly a decade, as the Associated Press' Tim Reynolds and Yahoo Sports' Chris Mannix pointed out: 

"I am not surprised at all [that they fought]," ESPN analyst (and former Rondo teammate) Paul Pierce said after the game. "For you people out there who don't know, Rondo and Chris Paul have never liked each other. This dates back to maybe Rondo's rookie year or second year. They've had heated exchanges...I'm surprised this is their first fight, actually." 

With hatred already established and two of the league's most enigmatic personalities at the center of the feud, the Lakers and Rockets should offer tremendous entertainment value every time they step on the floor. 

The sides will meet again Dec. 13 at Toyota Center. 

Get your popcorn ready. 

Lonzo's Value Rests on Willingness to Trust Shot

1. CJ McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for "Jennifer"

   

2. Jordan, Irving & Paul Invest in Plant-Based Food as Vegetarianism Sweeps NBA

   

3. Boogie, Luka and the Rest of the NBA Got Some Wild Techs This Season

   

4. Jarrett Allen Is One of the NBA’s Hottest Rim Protectors

   

5. Dwyane Wade's Jersey Swaps Created Epic Moments This NBA Season

   

6. OKC’s Russell Westbrook Makes NBA History While Honoring Nipsey Hussle

   

7. Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker Makes History with Scoring Tear

   

8. 29 Years Ago Today, Michael Jordan Dropped Career-High 69 Points

   

9. Chris Bosh Is Getting His No. 1 Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami

   

10. Steph Curry Returns to Houston for the First Time Since His Moon Landing Troll

    

11. Lou Williams Is Coming for a Repeat of Sixth Man of the Year

    

12. Step Aside Lakers, Pat Beverley Has the Clippers Stealing the LA Shine

    

13. LeBron Passes Jordan on All-Time Scoring List, Keeps Shredding NBA Record Books

    

14. Trae Young's Hot Streak Is Heating Up the ROY Race with Luka Doncic

    

15. LeBron James and 2 Chainz Form a Superteam to Release a New Album

    

16. Miami Heat Legend Dwyane Wade's #OneLastDance Dominated February

    

17. Warriors Fans Go Wild After Unforgettable Moments and Gifts from Steph Curry

    

18. Eight Years Ago, the Nuggets Traded Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks

    

19. Two Years Ago, the Kings Shipped Superstar DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans

    

20. The NBA All-Star Game Will Be Competitive Again If the League Raises the Stakes

    

Ball opened his season in unspectacular fashion with seven points on 1-of-4 shooting from three as he struggled to find a rhythm off the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers.

James, though, had some sage advice for the second-year floor general. 

"He's just got to trust his shot," James said, per LeBronWire's Erik Garcia Gundersen. "He works on his game every single day, before practice and after practice. If they go under, trust your shot, trust what you've been working on. Just trust it."

Those words of wisdom paid off Saturday night. 

Ball appeared far more confident as a spot-up shooter, and he parlayed that approach into 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-8 from three. By comparison, all other Lakers players combined to make four shots from beyond the arc. 

If that performance was a sign of things to come, Lonzo won't be a punchline much longer. 

Defenses have consistently left Ball with plenty of breathing room since he arrived in the NBA because of his wonky mechanics, but that reputation should aid the Lakers offense. 

To wit: Last season, 51.6 percent of Ball's total three-point attempts came with the furthest defender a minimum of four feet away, according to NBA.com's player-tracking data. 

If that trend holds and Ball can take advantage, a stellar sophomore season should be in order. 

What's Next? 

The Rockets will close out their L.A. back-to-back with a showdown against the Clippers on Sunday night. The Lakers return to the floor at Staples Center on Monday for a meeting with the San Antonio Spurs.