The Los Angeles Lakers stunned the Houston Rockets 107-98 in game one of their first-round playoff series. LeBron James finished with 19 points and 13 assists, while Luke Kennard poured in 27 points — the second-most by a player in their Lakers postseason debut and a personal career playoff best after joining from Atlanta in February.
The Lakers capitalised on Kevin Durant’s absence due to a bruised right knee sustained after banging knees with a teammate in practice, extending the eight-year wait to see LeBron James and Durant face each other in a playoff game.
“I gotta do a little bit of everything, that’s what the job requires,” James said. “So it’s being a triple threat, being able to rebound, pass, shoot, go defend and to be able to put myself in a position to bring value to the team. It’s going to be a game-to-game situation to see how it plays out. I don’t predetermine what I’m going to do, the only thing that’s predetermined is how I prepare. I’ve been in every situation you’d ever imagine as a basketball player, so there’s nothing that can surprise me.”
Both teams also played the opener without other key players; the match took place while Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves remain out indefinitely with injuries since April 2. The night also delivered a family milestone for James: he shared the court with his son, Bronny James, in a playoff game for the first time, with their family in attendance. “I was on the floor with my son in a playoff game, that’s probably the craziest thing that’s ever happened in my career,” James added. “It was so cool to be out there with him, and his brother, and his sister, and his mom in the building, and his grandma. My mom gets to watch her son and her grandson during the playoffs. That’s crazy.”
Los Angeles dominated offensively, hitting 60.6% of their shots while holding Houston to 37.6% shooting behind intense defense. Game two is scheduled for 3:30am on April 22, live on Sky Sports, with Durant expected to miss at least one more game.
Elsewhere in game one action:
– Cleveland Cavaliers 126, Toronto Raptors 113: Max Strus, returning from a long injury layoff, combined with new recruit James Harden for 46 points to give the Cavaliers a season-opening playoff win at home.
– Denver Nuggets 116, Minnesota Timberwolves 105: Nikola Jokić recorded a 25-point triple-double to lead Denver to the series opener.
– New York Knicks 113, Atlanta Hawks 102: Jalen Brunson scored 28 points and dished seven assists as the Knicks pulled ahead in the third quarter to take game one.
How and when to watch the NBA playoffs on Sky Sports:
The 2026 NBA playoffs continue on Sky Sports on Sunday, April 19, from 6pm with four games on Sky Sports Action. All times listed in British Summer Time:
– 6pm — Philadelphia 76ers (7) @ Boston Celtics (2)
– 8.30pm — Phoenix Suns (8) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (1)
– 11pm — Orlando Magic (8) @ Detroit Pistons (1)
– 2am — Portland Trail Blazers (7) @ San Antonio Spurs (2)
Sky Sports will also show all of the Western Conference Finals live from May 20.