Rui Hachimura Drops 22-Point Bomb in Game 3, Propels Lakers’ 2026 Playoff Comeback

Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura is lighting up both the NBA Playoffs and search engines after a breakout Game 3 performance that swung momentum in L.A.’s first-round series against the Houston Rockets. Hachimura erupted for 16 points in the opening 12 minutes—going a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and drilling three consecutive triples—on April 24, 2026, in Houston. The Japanese star finished with 22 points, four rebounds, two assists and a clutch put-back layup late in overtime to seal a 112-108 win and give the Lakers a commanding 3-0 series lead. After the thriller, Hachimura admitted the team’s desperation level was sky-high precisely because it was postseason basketball, joking that the Lakers “would have lost” if the game had been a regular-season matchup—an honesty that instantly went viral among fans and analysts. The 28-year-old forward’s career-best quarter underscored the matchup problem he creates for Houston’s smaller wings and highlighted his evolution as a reliable third scoring option behind LeBron James (29 points) and Marcus Smart (21 points, 10 assists). With Kevin Durant sidelined by an ankle injury, Rockets coach Ime Udoka had no defensive answer for Hachimura’s blend of size and perimeter accuracy. Game 4 tips off Sunday at Toyota Center, where a win would send Los Angeles to the Western Conference semifinals and cement Hachimura’s status as the X-factor of this playoff run. For the Lakers, his two-way versatility, playoff poise and global fan base are proving every bit as valuable as his stat line—especially as the franchise eyes another deep postseason push and Hachimura eyes a potential long-term future in purple and gold.