Lakers Stun Rockets in Game One Behind LeBron's Dominant Performance

The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a stunning 107-98 win over the Houston Rockets in the opening game of their first-round playoff series, with LeBron James delivering 19 points and 13 assists. Luke Kennard made history with a 27-point game, the second-highest score by a player in their Lakers postseason debut, and a personal playoff best after joining from Atlanta in February. The Lakers capitalized on Kevin Durant's injury absence, although the highly anticipated matchup between James and Durant will have to wait. James said, 'My role requires me to do a bit of everything, to be a triple threat, and bring value to the team.' The game was also notable for James sharing the court with his son, Bronny, in the playoffs for the first time, with their family in attendance. The Lakers thrived by hitting 60.6% of their shots and limiting the Rockets to 37.6% shooting. Game two is scheduled for April 22, live on Sky Sports. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers started the 2026 playoffs with a 126-113 win over the Toronto Raptors, thanks to Max Strus and James Harden's combined 46 points. Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to a 116-105 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 25-point triple-double, and the New York Knicks took an early series lead with a 113-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks, led by Jalen Brunson's 28 points and seven assists.