By: Jennifer Portee
4/20/2026
The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off an upset in Game 1, using a classic LeBron James performance and a career‑night from Luke Kennard to knock off the Houston Rockets 107–98 in the opener of their first‑round series.
Kennard exploded for a playoff‑career‑high 27 points, hitting four three‑pointers and going 9‑of‑12 from the field, while LeBron recorded 19 points and 13 assists in his 19th NBA postseason. The Lakers also got a big lift from Deandre Ayton, who added 19 points and 11 rebounds in a gritty, short‑handed win.
The shock factor? Los Angeles did it without its top two scorers. Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have been out indefinitely since early April, leaving the Lakers working with a pieced together rotation. But the Lakers responded with 60.6% shooting and a suffocating defense that held Houston to just 37.6% and turned the game into a grind.
“Man, that’s what it has to be a collective group,” LeBron said. “When you’re missing so much firepower like we are right now, we all have to do our job and maybe do a little bit more, protect one another offensively and defensively, and I think we did that tonight.”
The Rockets also entered the series short‑handed. Kevin Durant, who had been a late scratch with a bruised right knee, was sidelined after banging knees in practice, leaving the court without either of the league’s two most dominant offensive engines. Alperen Şengün still poured in 19 points and 11 rebounds, Jabari Smith Jr. added 16 points and 12 boards, and Amen Thompson chipped in 17, but the Rockets never found a consistent rhythm.
Marcus Smart helped fuel the Lakers’ energy, dropping 15 points and eight assists with four three‑pointers. He had said before the series that success would come down to “willpower” and in Game 1, the Lakers clearly had more of it.
The game also made history on a personal level. Bronny James, the 21‑year‑old rookie, entered the second quarter alongside his father in the first significant playoff minutes of his career. By taking the floor in Game 1 vs. Houston, LeBron and Bronny became the first father‑son duo to ever play in the same NBA playoff game.
Game 2 is set for Tuesday night in Los Angeles, and the Lakers will try to turn this surprisingly complete opener into a 2–0 series advantage before the Rockets get Durant back.