The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a stunning 107-98 victory over the Houston Rockets in the opening game of their playoff series, with LeBron James leading the charge with 19 points and 13 assists. Luke Kennard also made history with a 27-point game, the second-highest score by a player in their Lakers postseason debut. The Lakers 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, whether it's rebounding, passing, shooting, or defending.' The Lakers' victory was marked by their impressive 60.6% shooting percentage, while the Rockets struggled with 37.6%.
The series continues with game two on April 22. Meanwhile, the 2026 NBA playoffs have kicked off with the Cleveland Cavaliers defeating the Toronto Raptors 126-113, the Denver Nuggets beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105, and the New York Knicks taking down the Atlanta Hawks 113-102. The playoffs will continue on Sky Sports with four games on April 19, including the Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns vs Oklahoma City Thunder.