Lakers Capitalize on Durant's Absence, Defeat Rockets in Game 1

Short-handed Lakers overcome injuries to key players, win series opener against Rockets

Apr. 19, 2026 at 11:33am

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The Los Angeles Lakers, playing without their top two scorers, defeated the Houston Rockets 107-98 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. Luke Kennard scored a career-high 27 points, while LeBron James contributed 19 points and 13 assists. The Lakers took advantage of Kevin Durant's absence due to a bruised right knee, holding the Rockets to just 37.6% shooting.

Why it matters

The Lakers' victory, despite missing key players, demonstrates their depth and ability to adapt to adversity. The Rockets' struggles without Durant highlight their reliance on their star player and the need to develop more balanced scoring options.

The details

The Lakers thrived by shooting 60.6% from the field and playing stifling defense, limiting the Rockets to just 37.6% shooting. Deandre Ayton had a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, while Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. led the Rockets with 19 and 16 points, respectively.

  • The game was played on Saturday, April 19, 2026.
  • Kevin Durant was a late scratch due to a bruised right knee sustained in practice on Wednesday, April 16, 2026.

The players

Luke Kennard

A key reserve for the Lakers who scored a career-high 27 points in the playoff opener.

LeBron James

The veteran Lakers superstar had 19 points and 13 assists in the victory.

Deandre Ayton

The Lakers' starting center contributed a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Alperen Sengun

The Rockets' young center scored a team-high 19 points in the loss.

Jabari Smith Jr.

The Rockets' forward had 16 points and 12 rebounds in the Game 1 defeat.

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What they’re saying

“That's what it has to be — a collective group. When you're missing so much firepower like we are right now with AR and Luka being out, we all have to do our job and maybe have to do a little bit more, protect one another offensively and defensively, and I think we did that tonight.”

— LeBron James, Lakers Superstar

“We won a lot of areas, but just shot poorly. That's going to be tough to beat, but there are some things we left on the table, opportunities missed.”

— Ime Udoka, Rockets Head Coach

What’s next

Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22, 2026, in Los Angeles.

The takeaway

The Lakers' ability to overcome key injuries and win Game 1 without their top scorers demonstrates their depth and resilience. However, the Rockets' struggles without Durant highlight their need to develop more balanced scoring options to compete in the series.