Lakers open with upset
- The Lakers beat the Rockets 107-98 in Game 1 at Crypto.com Arena to open their playoff series. - LeBron James led Los Angeles with a 19-point, 13-assist and eight-rebound line in that game. - The win was framed as an early-series shift, with schedules now pointing to potential Game 6 in Houston and Game 7 in Los Angeles. ( )
Los Angeles opened its first-round series by taking Game 1 from Houston, 107-98, on April 18 at Crypto.com Arena. (espn.com) LeBron James set the tone with 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, while Luke Kennard added a career playoff-high 27 points for the Lakers. (nba.com) The result landed as an upset because Houston entered the postseason as the No. 2 seed in the West at 52-30, while the Lakers finished 53-29 and opened the series at home despite the lower-seeded framing around the matchup. (espn.com) Houston played without Kevin Durant in Game 1, and the Associated Press recap on NBA.com said Los Angeles “capitalized” on his absence. (nba.com) The series moved further in Los Angeles’ direction two nights later, when the Lakers won Game 2, 101-94, to take a 2-0 lead before the matchup shifted to Houston. (espn.com) That changed the math of the bracket. NBA and ESPN schedule listings show Game 3 on April 24 and Game 4 on April 26 in Houston, with a potential Game 5 back in Los Angeles on April 28. (nba.com) (espn.com) If the Rockets extend the series, the current first-round calendar lists a potential Game 6 in Houston on April 30 and a potential Game 7 in Los Angeles on May 2. (espn.in) (nba.com) For now, the opener stands as the first swing in a series that started with Houston trying to steal back home-court position after Los Angeles defended it twice. (espn.com)
