Rockets-Lakers opener set
The Lakers’ first‑round series against the Houston Rockets has a schedule with the postseason opener on Saturday, and the team practised recently at Southern Methodist University as it prepared for the matchup ( ).
The Los Angeles Lakers open their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets on Saturday, April 18, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) Game 1 is set for 5:30 p.m. Pacific time on ABC. Game 2 is Tuesday, April 21, in Los Angeles, before the series shifts to Houston for Games 3 and 4 on April 24 and April 26. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) The Lakers earned home court by finishing 53-29, while the Rockets finished 52-30 as the No. 5 seed. The matchup pairs the Pacific Division winner against the Southwest Division runner-up in the Western Conference bracket. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) The series arrives with the Lakers dealing with injuries to two of their top scorers. ESPN reported that Luka Doncic suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and Austin Reaves was ruled out for the rest of the regular season with an oblique injury after the April 2 loss in Oklahoma City. (espn.com) (espn.com) That changed the shape of a team that had surged late. ESPN reported the Lakers went 16-2 from February 28 through March 31 before injuries to Doncic and Reaves reshaped the offense around LeBron James. (espn.com) Houston enters with a different profile: a top-five defense and a lineup built around Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, according to the National Basketball Association’s series preview. The same preview said the Rockets won eight straight late in the regular season to secure the No. 5 seed. (nba.com) The regular-season meetings were close enough to leave both sides with evidence. The National Basketball Association’s preview said the Lakers won two of the three games, and Doncic scored 76 total points in the two March wins in Houston. (nba.com) The preparation has stretched beyond Los Angeles. ESPN reported the Lakers practiced at Southern Methodist University this week as the team managed travel, treatment and playoff planning ahead of the opener. (espn.com) If the series goes long, the format returns to Los Angeles for Game 5 on April 29, back to Houston for Game 6 on May 1, and to Los Angeles for Game 7 on May 3. For now, the bracket starts Saturday night with the Lakers at home and the Rockets on the road. (nba.com) (nba.com)
