Rockets Struggle Without Durant, Fall to Lakers in Game 1

Houston unable to overcome star's absence in first-round playoff opener

Apr. 19, 2026 at 3:33am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game, with overlapping planes of red, blue, and yellow, representing the competitive action on the court.The Rockets' inability to overcome Kevin Durant's absence led to a Game 1 loss against the Lakers in their first-round playoff matchup.Los Angeles Today

The Houston Rockets opened their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers with a 107-98 loss on the road on Saturday night. The Rockets were without star forward Kevin Durant, who was ruled out with a right knee contusion, and struggled to find consistent scoring without their leading scorer. The Lakers, led by 27 points from Luke Kennard, pulled away in the fourth quarter to take Game 1.

Why it matters

The Rockets' loss in Game 1 without Durant puts them in an early hole against the Lakers, who are favored to advance in the series. Houston will need to find a way to generate offense and overcome Durant's absence if they hope to pull off the upset.

The details

The Rockets were led by Alperen Sengun's 19 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, while Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard each added 17 points. Jabari Smith Jr. recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. However, the Rockets shot just 38% from the field and 33% from three-point range, compared to 61% and 53% for the Lakers. Los Angeles also outscored Houston 25-18 in the pivotal third quarter to pull away.

  • The game was played on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
  • Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Sunday, April 19, 2026.

The players

Kevin Durant

The Rockets' leading scorer, who was ruled out of Game 1 with a right knee contusion.

Alperen Sengun

The Rockets' leading scorer in Game 1 with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.

Luke Kennard

The Lakers' leading scorer in Game 1 with 27 points.

LeBron James

The Lakers' leader in Game 1 with 19 points, 13 assists and 8 rebounds.

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What they’re saying

“We have to find a way to generate more offense without KD. It's going to take a team effort to overcome his absence.”

— Alperen Sengun, Rockets forward

“We knew this series wouldn't be easy, but we're confident we can take care of business at home in Game 2.”

— LeBron James

What’s next

The Rockets will look to even the series in Game 2 on Sunday night in Los Angeles. Durant's status for that game remains uncertain.

The takeaway

The Rockets' inability to generate consistent offense without Durant proved costly in Game 1, and they will need to find a way to replace his production if they hope to pull off the upset against the Lakers in this first-round series.