Chris Paul warmly greeted Andre Ingram when the 32-year-old guards both arrived at the Staples Center scorers' table to check in. Although they were born six months apart Christian Kirk Youth Jersey , Paul was in his 892nd regular-season game, while Ingram was making his NBA debut.

"I told him I heard about his story, and that grind is unbelievable," Paul said. "I told him, `Much respect.' I mean, 10 years grinding in the G League, to finally get an opportunity and to play like that, it's pretty special."

After a decade in the minors, Ingram seized the chance to live his long-deferred dream by scoring 19 points for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Paul and the Houston Rockets were impressed, even if they still came out on top.

Paul scored 22 points and James Harden had 21 points and 10 assists in the Rockets' 105-99 victory Tuesday night.

The Rockets kept steamrolling toward the playoffs with their 31st victory in 34 games – but everybody was watching Ingram, the slim shooter with salt-and-pepper hair who hit four 3-pointers for the Lakers in an NBA debut that would have been undeniably impressive even if he hadn't been waiting his entire professional life for it.

"It was excellent," Ingram said with a broad grin. "Once we went out as a team for warmups Isaiah Oliver Falcons Jersey , I just felt some electricity out there. It was amazing. The crowd, the lights, it was just once in a lifetime. It was awesome."

Los Angeles promoted Ingram from its South Bay affiliate for the final two games of another dismal Lakers regular season, and the G League's career leader in 3-pointers hit a 3 on his first NBA shot.

"I tried not to think about the first one going down," Ingram said. "But to a man, everyone was like, `When you get it, just let it go!' All the players, all the coaches. It was crazy. To see that first one go in, I felt great."

After a few more baskets, the sellout crowd moved from charitable support to full-throated roars, including chants of "M-V-P!" that brought a smile to Ingram's face. Ingram had flown his wife and two daughters in from Virginia to watch the culmination of their work.

"To play the way he played Andy Dalton Jersey , that's the stuff that dreams are made of," said Lakers center Brook Lopez, who scored 12 points. "Just an inspirational story. He belonged out there."

Ingram's fourth 3-pointer with 51 seconds left trimmed Houston's lead to 102-99, but the Lakers couldn't score again. Ingram finished 6 for 8 from the field and 4 for 5 on 3-pointers along with three rebounds, three blocked shots and a steal.

"That's a testament to hard work, never giving up, and just sticking with it," said Julius Randle, who scored 17 points.

Gerald Green scored 16 points as Houston hung on late to avoid its first back-to-back losses since Jan. 6. But in the first half, the Rockets lost backup forward Luc Mbah a Moute to a dislocated right shoulder while dunking in this meaningless game.

Mbah a Moute will have an MRI exam Wednesday.

"With Luc, it's tough, but we can't take it back now Derrius Guice Jersey ," Paul said. "We've just got to pick it up by committee. … Luc has been unbelievably important. Just his spirit, the way he plays, he defends, rebounds, runs, all that stuff."

Rookie Josh Hart scored 20 points for the Lakers, who played without injured Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma in the penultimate game of their franchise-record fifth consecutive losing season.

TIP-INS

Rockets: Ryan Anderson missed his third straight game with a sprained left ankle. … Mbah a Moute missed 15 games in December and January with the same dislocated shoulder. He re-injured the joint without contact, heading immediately to the locker room.

Lakers: Ball missed his seventh straight game with a bruised left knee, while Ingram has played just two games since March 1 due to a groin strain and an apparent concussion. Ball, Ingram and Kuzma – who has a sprained left ankle – are unlikely to play in the club's season final on Wednesday night, coach Luke Walton said. If that's the case P.J. Hall Youth Jersey , Ball will finish his rookie season averaging 10.2 points, 7.2 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game, while Kuzma will finish his promising rookie campaign with 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

LONG TIME COMING

Ingram made his NBA debut for the Lakers after 384 games over a full decade in the developmental G League, including parts of the past six years with the Lakers' affiliate. The former American University physics major has hit 713 3-pointers in the G League with 46-percent accuracy, but his slight stature kept him out of the NBA until this late call-up. Ingram played briefly in Australia, but mostly declined chances to play overseas because he was determined to earn an NBA shot through the minors. He once tutored teammates in math to make extra cash in the offseason. Ingram averaged only 9.1 points this season for the South Bay Lakers, but hit 47.5 percent of his 3-pointers.

LUC INJURED

The Rockets are locked into the top seed in the Western Conference, but coach Mike D'Antoni still kept his regular starters and rotation. Houston then took a potentially important hit when Mbah a Moute dislocated his shoulder for the second time this season while dunking in the second quarter.

Mbah a Moute averages 7.6 points and 3.1 rebounds while playing nearly 26 minutes per game as a key rotation player.

"I think it's less (serious) than last time, but I don't know," D'Antoni said.

UP NEXT

Rockets: At the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.

Lakers: POSITIVES鈥擨s an aggressive downhill player who shows enthusiasm for making hits at or behind the line of scrimmage.鈥擧as NFL-caliber instincts that flash in intermediate coverage. He also has a willingness to jump routes and create turnovers.鈥擯layed off the edge at Texas at times and showed sure tackling, both in traffic and in the open field.鈥擮ften redirects other players on defense and shows the mental processing skills to diagnose offensive formations moment to moment and counter with new defensive alignments.鈥擶as impressive in getting to the ball, as he nabbed six interceptions and had three forced fumbles in 2017.聽 聽 聽 聽 聽NEGATIVES鈥擧as a tendency to get grabby downfield rather than trust his technique to open and run with players.鈥擶ill bite on play action and leaves seam routes susceptible to completions.鈥擨s better playing downhill and struggles to open up and run with NFL-level talent.鈥擝ody control looks clunky Kerryon Johnson Lions Jersey , even when he's in phase with receivers. This may lead to increased pass-interference calls.鈥擲hows wasted lower-body movement, largely as centerfield defender. That leads to an awkward running style and a lack of true sideline-to-sideline speed.HBD TB12! 馃帀Celebrate Your Favorite SB Snack on National Chicken Wing DayWho Had the Best Camp Entrance This Year? 馃殎From Working Odd Jobs to the NFLKamara Is Taking on All Comers in PaintballThere's No Offseason for NFL Workout WarriorsNorman Goes on Shopping Spree for Detained FamiliesHue Jackson 'Cleansed' Cleveland with Lake Erie Plunge'Last Chance U 'Star Getting His NFL ShotIs 44-Year-Old T.O. Working Out for a Comeback?Eagles Drafted a 6'8", 346-Lb Rugby Player 馃槼Happy 4-Year Anniversary to the 2014 NFL WR ClassOne-Handed LB Might Be Draft's Biggest BadassMayfield's Journey to the Draft Ends ThursdayBall Fam Has Nothing on the St. Browns 馃槒NFL Stars Spending Their Offseasons Giving BackDerrius Guice Runs from Difficult UpbringingHarold Landry Is Draft's Best Pure Pass-RusherWhich Teams Are the Best Fit for Dez?Johnny Football Is BACK!Right Arrow Icon聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽OVERALLDeShon Elliott has the foundational skills to be a solid NFL contributor, but he'll need more time to develop as an open-field athlete if he's ever going to start in the NFL. The mental processing and competitive toughness skills are obvious, but those won't mask athletic deficiencies against superior talent. Elliott will have to rely on his instincts and ball skills to make coaches notice him as a potential backup and spot starter as a rookie.聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽GRADE: 5.99 (Round 4)PRO COMPARISON: Darian Thompson, New York Giants.