Kennard's playoff night

Luke Kennard gave the Lakers 27 points in a 107-98 Game 1 win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday, his highest scoring game in the playoffs. (nba.com) Kennard shot 9-for-13 from the field and 5-for-5 from three-point range, and Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round series. (espn.com) The scoring outburst came with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both out after injuries that have sidelined them since April 2, leaving LeBron James to run the offense and Kennard to absorb a larger share of shots. (nba.com) James set the tone early with eight assists in the first quarter, and the Lakers opened by shooting 15-for-19 from the field in the period. Many of those early looks went to Kennard as Houston adjusted to a different version of the Lakers than the one it prepared for. (espn.com) Los Angeles also played into another opening-night wrinkle: Houston was without Kevin Durant, who was scratched before tipoff with right knee soreness. The Lakers finished the night shooting 60.6% overall while holding the Rockets to 37.6%. (nba.com) Kennard was not supposed to be the center of a playoff opener when the Lakers acquired him from Atlanta in early February. He arrived as a shooting specialist, then moved into a bigger role over the past two weeks as injuries reshaped the rotation. (nba.com) His value in this game was simple: every clean catch turned into points, and Houston never made up for the gap. The Lakers won despite attempting only 66 shots, their fewest in a game in the past three seasons, and despite allowing 21 offensive rebounds. (nba.com) Game 2 is Tuesday, April 21, in Los Angeles, with the Lakers carrying a 1-0 lead and a fresh example of how much Kennard can change a playoff game when the ball finds him early. (nba.com)