Lakers 99, Rockets 95 (OT): Steve Blake scored a season-high 24 points and Pau Gasol had 17 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists as host Los Angeles outlasted Houston to claim the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Dwight Howard had 16 points and 18 rebounds and Antawn Jamison also had 16 points as the Lakers went from being playoff outsiders to facing the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs in Sunday’s opener. Los Angeles clinched a playoff spot earlier Wednesday when the Utah Jazz lost to the Memphis Grizzlies.

James Harden scored 30 points and Chandler Parsons added 23 for Houston. The Rockets will be the eighth seed and open Sunday against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.

Los Angeles trailed most of the contest and took an 84-81 lead on Jamison’s 3-pointer with 5:48 remaining in regulation. Houston recovered to force overtime when Parsons drilled a line-drive 3-pointer at the buzzer, but Gasol’s basket with 2:26 left in the extra session put the Lakers ahead to stay.

Harden scored 18 first-half points as the Rockets led 50-44 at the break. Houston led by 11 after Harden’s 3-pointer with four minutes left in the third quarter before Los Angeles pulled to within 71-66 entering the final stanza.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Howard (27 years, 130 days) became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 9,000 career rebounds. His total stands at 9,017. Wilt Chamberlain (27 years, 144 days) and Bill Russell (27 years, 357 days) are the only other players to reach the milestone before age 28. … Harden has 23 30-point performances this season. … Lakers PG Steve Nash (hip, hamstring) missed his eight straight outing.