LeBron James Warns Sengun After Rockets' 99-93 Game 5 Win

LeBron James and sengun went at each other late in Game 5, with the Lakers forward firing back after Alperen Sengun complained about a whistle during the Rockets' 99-93 win. The exchange came with about 5:30 left in the fourth quarter and added another sharp turn to a series that Houston pushed back to 3-2.

James and Sengun at 5:30

The argument started when Sengun complained about a whistle that went James’ way. James spat out his mouthguard before answering, then said, “You don’t say that! You’re the only person here who ain’t allowed to say that! ‘Soft a call,’ yeah, Ight!”

That sequence followed earlier contact between the two. Sengun had delivered an elbow to James’ face, and the back-and-forth fit a series that has grown more volatile as the games have piled up.

Rockets Trim the Lead

Houston’s 99-93 victory cut the Lakers’ series lead to 3-2. The Rockets had been in a 0-3 hole earlier in the matchup, but the win forced the series to continue.

The numbers around the game tell the rest of the story. The Lakers committed 23 turnovers, and Game 4 already had its own officiating flashpoint when Lakers center Deandre Ayton was ejected for a flagrant-two elbow on Sengun.

Back to Houston

The series now moves back to Houston for Game 6, with the Rockets having extended the matchup after trailing 3-0. That leaves the Lakers with a short turnaround and one more chance to close it out before the pressure shifts back to the road.