In a thrilling turn of events, the Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a surprise 107-98 victory over the Houston Rockets in the first game of their playoff series, with LeBron James contributing 19 points and 13 assists. Luke Kennard also made history with a 27-point game, marking the second-highest points scored by a player in their Lakers postseason debut.
The Lakers capitalized on Kevin Durant's absence due to injury, but the highly anticipated matchup between James and Durant will have to wait. James emphasized his role as a versatile player, stating, 'I gotta do a little bit of everything, that's what the job requires.' The game was also notable for James sharing the court with his son, Bronny James, in the playoffs for the first time, with their family in attendance.
The Lakers' success can be attributed to their impressive 60.6% shooting percentage, while the Rockets struggled with 37.6%. The series continues with game two on April 22. Meanwhile, other playoff games saw the Cleveland Cavaliers defeat the Toronto Raptors 126-113, the Denver Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105, and the New York Knicks win against the Atlanta Hawks 113-102.
The 2026 NBA playoffs will continue on Sky Sports, with four games scheduled for April 19.