Before Saturday’s game, much of the talk centered around how the Lakers would cope without Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves, both nursing injuries, in their playoff matchup against the Rockets.
However, the narrative shifted quickly as Rockets star Kevin Durant was added to the injury report due to a right knee contusion sustained during practice earlier in the week.
The Lakers seized the opportunity and overcame the absence of the Rockets’ leading scorer, coming out on top 107-98 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round series at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers struggled with turnovers, giving the ball away 20 times and allowing Houston to convert those into 24 points, which kept them in the contest.
Offensively, things weren’t exactly smooth for the Lakers either. Still, their focused approach paid off, as they shot 60.6 percent from the field (40 of 66) and 52.6 percent from three-point range (10 of 19).
Luke Kennard shined with 27 points, shooting 9-of-13, including five three-pointers. LeBron James also contributed significantly, posting 19 points, 13 assists, and 8 rebounds.
Interestingly, every Lakers starter scored at least 10 points, showing a well-rounded attack.
Deandre Ayton added a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Marcus Smart chipped in with 15 points and eight assists, and Rui Hachimura finished with 14 points.
The Lakers managed to win even though the Rockets pulled down 21 offensive rebounds and capitalized on those with 23 second-chance points, outscoring the Lakers in the paint (44-40) and adding another 17 points off turnovers.
For the Rockets, Alperen Sengun contributed 19 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, and Armen Thompson added 17 points along with seven rebounds and seven assists.
What It Means
This win gave the Lakers a 1-0 lead in a playoff series for the first time since they faced the Warriors in the 2023 Western Conference semifinals. It’s worth noting they haven’t gone 2-0 in a series since defeating the Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals.
Turning Point
A key moment came early in the third quarter when Jake LaRabia drew an off-ball foul on Tali Eason. This foul marked the Rockets’ fifth of the quarter, leading to bonus free throws for the Lakers. They took full advantage, sinking 10 of 12 from the line during that stretch.
Among these was Kennard, who capitalized on technical fouls called against Rockets’ player Jae’Sean Tate and coach I’m Udoka. The Lakers strengthened their lead by winning the quarter 25-18, making 11 of 15 free throws.
MVP: Luke Kennard
LeBron James set a strong tone right off the bat with his playmaking, racking up eight assists in the first quarter and matching a playoff record with 10 assists in the first half. Yet, in a game with a lower scoring pace, Kennard stood out as a reliable scoring option.
His total points exceeded his previous career-high of 21, set back in April 2019, marking a new playoff best.
Game Status: 37.6%
The Rockets’ shooting percentage emphasized the effectiveness of the Lakers’ defensive efforts, which was the lowest allowed in a playoff game since April 2023 against the Grizzlies.
To The Next
Game 2 of the Lakers-Rockets playoff series is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena. As of Saturday night, Durant’s status for that game was uncertain.
