LeBron fuels 2‑0 lead
- The Lakers opened their playoff series with a 2‑0 advantage, led by LeBron's all‑around performance. - LeBron recorded 28 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in the game cited. - The stat line underlines his continued playoff impact as teams weigh adjustments to slow him down (x.com).
LeBron James pushed the Lakers to a 2-0 first-round lead Tuesday night, finishing with 28 points in a 101-94 win over Houston. (nba.com) James added eight rebounds and seven assists in Game 2 at Crypto.com Arena, and Los Angeles closed the game with a late dunk from James and two free throws from Luke Kennard. (nba.com) The Lakers took both home games without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, while Marcus Smart scored 25 points with five 3-pointers and seven assists in Tuesday’s win. (espn.com) Houston got Kevin Durant back after he missed Game 1 with a right knee bruise, but the Rockets still fell to 0-2 as Durant scored 23 points, committed nine turnovers and had only three points in the second half. (espn.com) The matchup has turned on shot-making and ball security through two games. Houston shot 40.4% from the field and made seven 3-pointers in Game 2, while Los Angeles kept control of the fourth quarter. (espn.com) James said the Lakers “shored up some of our mistakes from Game 1” and adjusted to missing two primary scorers by spreading the offensive load across the lineup. (espn.com) Durant said Houston saw doubles “from possession one” and said, “We’re just not making shots, to be honest,” after the Rockets again struggled to convert around the rim and from deep. (espn.com) Game 3 is set for Friday, April 24, in Houston, with the Lakers carrying the 2-0 edge into the first road game of the series. (nba.com)
