LeBron’s 28 Puts Lakers Up

The Lakers beat the Rockets 101-94 on Tuesday, April 21, to take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference first-round series. (nba.com) LeBron James led Los Angeles with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in 39 minutes. He shot 8-for-20 from the field, 2-for-5 from 3-point range and 10-for-14 at the line. (nba.com) The Lakers were at home for the first two games as the No. 4 seed, and they held Houston to 94 points after opening the game with a 33-point first quarter. ESPN’s box score shows Los Angeles won every quarter except the second. (espn.com) The result put the No. 5 Rockets in an immediate hole before the series shifted to Houston for Game 3 on Friday, April 24, at 8 p.m. Eastern. NBA.com’s series page lists a possible seven-game schedule running through May 3. (nba.com) For Los Angeles, the early edge has centered on James still controlling playoff games deep into his 23rd season. NBA.com’s series summary said the Lakers’ backcourt also “came up big” while the team protected home court in both opening games. (nba.com) For Houston, the pressure is now on a quick response at home. The Rockets finished the regular season 52-30, but through two playoff games they trailed the Lakers 214-192 in total points. (espn.com, nba.com) The matchup has also turned into a star-driven series. Kevin Durant is now on Houston’s roster, and the Associated Press game recap framed Game 2 as another Lakers win over “Durant’s Rockets.” (espn.com) Game 3 is the next test of whether this opener was a brief Lakers surge or the shape of the series. Through two games, the standings are simple: Los Angeles has both wins, and James has been at the center of both. (nba.com, nba.com)