LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets in overtime -- 99-95 -- and clinched the No.7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs Wednesday night at the Staples Center.
The Lakers, who played without starters Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, will face the No.2 ranked San Antonio Spurs in a best-of-7 opening round match-up.
Pau Gasol recorded the seventh triple-double of his career with 17 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists while Dwight Howard added 16 points and 18 boards. Steve Blake tallied 24 and seven assists while Antawn Jamison and Jodi Meeks combined for 25..
The highlight of the game was Houston Rockets shooter Chadler Parsons' desperation 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime..
James Harden led Houston with 30 points but he made only eight of 25 field goals. Parsons finished with 23 while Jeremy Lin, who struggled with 4-for-14 from the field, added 12 points and eight dimes.
With the loss, the 45-37 Rockets slipped to No.8 in the Western Conference and will face the top-ranked Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs. (SD)
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