2009 NBA Playoffs
The Rockets and Lakers met again in 2009. The Lakers were heavy favorites to win and swept the season series 4-0. In Game 1, the Rockets shocked L.A. with a 100-92 victory, in which Yao Ming scored 8 straight points in the final minutes after hurting his knee. The Lakers won the next two games to take a 2-1 series lead. In Game 3, Yao suffered an injury to his foot in the fourth quarter that was later reported to keep him out for the rest of the playoffs. However, the Rockets defeated the Lakers 99-87 in Game 4 in what was later deemed as Rockets point guard Aaron Brooks' "coming-out party." In Game 5, the Lakers crushed Houston in L.A. 118-78, but the Rockets earned a 95-80 victory in Game 6, which drew 7.35 million viewers, making it the most-watched basketball game ever on ESPN. However, the Lakers decisively took Game 7 89-70 to win the series 4-3. They went on to win the NBA title against the Orlando Magic. The Rockets were the only team in the 2009 playoffs to force a 7-game series against the Lakers.
Read more about this topic: Lakers–Rockets Rivalry