After their blowout victory in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Lakers the Rockets confidence was sky-high. 

According to several Lakers players, they were talking trash a lot during and after the game, despite trailing 3-1 in the series overall. 

On Tuesday morning after their practice session in Los Angeles, the Rockets players continued to take shots at their opponent.

“I’m ready,” said Rockets’ center Alperen Sengun when asked about the expected physicality in Game 5. “I know they’re going to hit, but we’re hitting them too. We’re younger and we heal faster than them probably. We’re just going to hit each other and we’ll see at the end of the day what’s going on.” 

Sengun might have a point. The Lakers aren’t just older, they are one of the oldest rosters still playing in the postseason. They have an average age of 29.8 years old, fourth in the league, anchored by 41-year-old LeBron James. 

Alperen was asked if he expects the Lakers to be more physical in game 5.

“Im ready I know there going to hit were hitting them too were younger we heal faster than them probably were just going to hit each other.” pic.twitter.com/71H58EHO3Y

— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) April 28, 2026

Their starting five this series? 31.4 years on average, easily the oldest starting five in the playoffs. 

On the other side, the Rockets carry an average age of 26.3, but their starting unit this series, without Kevin Durant, sits at a staggering 22.6 years old, the youngest starting five in the playoffs. That starting unit has punished the Lakers to the tune of +18 when sharing the floor. 

If Sengun’s comments weren’t enough to provide bulletin board material for the Lakers, then Jabari Smith Jr. dialed up the volume. 

“We’re obviously the better team,” Smith said, flatly. “I just feel like from top to bottom…we’re the better team.”

#Rockets Jabari Smith Jr. on what Kevin Durant’s message to the team has been during game 4 & in the days since, “stay with it, be us, be aggressive, play free.”
Smith added, “we’re obviously the better team I feel like.” & when asked why he feels that way said,” I just feel like… pic.twitter.com/Y1yyCeq9Wu

— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) April 28, 2026

Both comments are strong talk coming from a team facing elimination again in Game 5 on Wednesday, but maybe they unlocked something in their victory in Game 4. 

Regardless, the Lakers “older” roster will try to summon their combined decades worth of playoff experience to close out the series at home and send the “younger” Rockets back to Houston for a long offseason.

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