dailyloe.com – The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 107-98 in their playoff series opener on Saturday night. The Lakers won despite missing their top two scorers due to injury. The Rockets also played without their most important player, Kevin Durant. The game took place in Los Angeles on April 18, 2026.
Luke Kennard scored a career playoff-high 27 points for the Lakers. LeBron James contributed 19 points and 13 assists for the fourth-seeded team. Deandre Ayton added 19 points and 11 rebounds in the victory. The Lakers capitalized on Durant’s absence due to a bruised right knee.
Los Angeles thrived by hitting 60.6% of its shots from the field. The Lakers held the Rockets to just 37.6% shooting with pesky defense. This shooting disparity allowed the Lakers to win despite attempting only 66 shots. That shot total was the fewest in an NBA game in the past three seasons.
The Lakers also gave up 21 offensive rebounds to the Rockets. LeBron James commented on the team’s performance after the game. The 41-year-old James said it had to be a collective group effort. He began his 19th NBA postseason with this victory.
James acknowledged the team was missing significant firepower. He referred to the absences of Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. James said everyone had to do their job and perhaps a little more. He felt the team protected one another offensively and defensively.
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 19 points in the loss. Jabari Smith Jr. scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Houston. Amen Thompson added 17 points for the fifth-seeded Rockets. Reed Sheppard made five three-pointers while scoring 17 points.
The Rockets struggled to score consistently throughout the game. Houston coach Ime Udoka commented on his team’s performance after the loss. Udoka said his team won a lot of areas but just shot poorly. He noted that poor shooting makes it tough to beat an opponent.
Udoka also said there were some things his team left on the table. He pointed to missed opportunities during the game. The Lakers acquired Luke Kennard from Atlanta in early February. Kennard is the NBA’s most accurate three-point shooter.
Kennard became a key reserve for the Lakers after the trade. He seized a major role over the past two weeks before the playoffs. Kennard hit four three-pointers in Game 1 against the Rockets. He made nine of his first twelve shot attempts in the game.
Kevin Durant injured his right knee in practice on Wednesday. He banged knees with a teammate during that practice session. Durant was a late scratch from the Rockets’ lineup for Game 1. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have been out indefinitely since April 2.
Marcus Smart provided a boost for the Lakers with 15 points. Smart also dished out eight assists and made four three-pointers. He spoke about the series before it began regarding the key to success. Smart said success would come down to willpower.
The Lakers clearly had more willpower at the start of the series. Bronny James began the game for the Los Angeles Lakers. The final score was Los Angeles Lakers 107, Houston Rockets 98. The Lakers now lead the first-round playoff series one game to none.
