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

The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a stunning 107-98 win over the Houston Rockets in the first game of their 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. The home team capitalized on Kevin Durant's injury absence, but the highly anticipated matchup between James and Durant will have to wait. James said, 'My role requires me to do a bit of everything, and that means being a triple threat - rebounding, passing, shooting, defending, and bringing value to the team.' Both teams were without key players, including Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for the Lakers, and Durant for the Rockets. The game marked a special moment for James, who shared the court with his son Bronny in the playoffs for the first time. 'It's crazy to think that I was on the floor with my son in a playoff game - that's probably the craziest thing that's happened in my career,' James said. The Lakers thrived, hitting 60.6% of their shots and limiting the Rockets to 37.6% shooting. Game two is set for April 22. In other playoff action, the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Toronto Raptors 126-113, the Denver Nuggets took down the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105 behind Nikola Jokic's triple-double, and the New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 113-102. The 2026 NBA playoffs continue on Sky Sports this Sunday, with four games scheduled.