The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 107-98 in their playoff opener, capitalizing on Kevin Durant's absence. Despite 20 turnovers and missed free throws, the Lakers shot 60.6% from the field.
Key points
Lakers defeated Rockets 107-98 in playoff opener
Kevin Durant was ruled out due to a knee injury
Lakers shot 60.6% from the field
Lakers had 20 turnovers leading to 24 points for Rockets
Lakers led by as many as 16 points during the game
Mentioned in this story
Kevin Durant
Los Angeles LakersHouston Rockets
Prior to the opening tip of Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets on Saturday, the Los Angeles Lakers were given a gift when Kevin Durant was ruled out due to a knee ailment. It was some much-needed good news for them with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves still out due to hamstring and oblique strains, respectively.
The Lakers, who were big underdogs prior to the Durant news, looked to take advantage and came out sizzling offensively in this contest. They shot 78.9% and had 13 assists in the first quarter, which allowed them to lead by as many as 10 points. Houston remained in the game with its offensive rebounding and its overall defensive tenacity, and despite shooting 36.6% from the field in the first half, it was down just 50-48 at halftime.
Los Angeles extended its lead afterward and went up by as many as 16 points. In some ways, this game was far from an offensive masterclass, but the team's defensive intensity was excellent. L.A. did a good job of sending help defenders into the paint, and it resulted in the Rockets shooting 37.6% from the field. It was good enough to give the Lakers a 107-98 victory.
The Lakers did have some real issues on offense. They turned the basketball over 20 times, which led to 24 points for Houston, and they missed nine of their 26 free throw attempts. But the Lakers shot 60.6% from the field and 52.6% from 3-point range, and that level of shooting accuracy is seldom seen for an entire game during the playoffs.
There will now be three full days before Game 2 takes place on Tuesday. But the Lakers have a 1-0 series lead, and there is still a bit of doubt about Durant's status for Game 2.
: B
Q&A
What was the final score of the Lakers vs Rockets playoff game?
The final score was 107-98 in favor of the Los Angeles Lakers.
How did the Lakers perform offensively against the Rockets?
The Lakers shot 60.6% from the field and 52.6% from 3-point range, despite turning the ball over 20 times.
Why was Kevin Durant absent from the playoff game?
Kevin Durant was ruled out due to a knee ailment prior to the game.
What were the key statistics for the Lakers in the first quarter?
In the first quarter, the Lakers shot 78.9% and recorded 13 assists, leading by as many as 10 points.
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Smart is one of several Lakers players who have been to at least the conference finals in the past, and that experience came in handy on Saturday. He brought the type of defensive tenacity that is needed in the playoffs, and while he had an uneven performance offensively, he did also contribute in a positive way on that end of the floor.
He had one steal and two blocks, and he was very active defensively all over the court. While he only made five of his 12 shot attempts and one of his five 3-point tries, he did a fairly good job of pushing the ball upcourt, attacking the paint off the dribble and getting others involved. His lone 3-pointer came with 5:29 left in the fourth quarter and put Los Angeles up 94-80 while helping to put the game out of reach.
Smart finished with 15 points, eight assists and two rebounds. He committed five turnovers in 34 minutes, but he has been the Lakers' X-factor all season long, and he will be even more of an X-factor in the postseason.
As he was late in the regular season, Hachimura was aggressive offensively and looked to attack. However, he didn't force up contested shots, and he showed good patience while using shot fakes to get better looks.
He made six of his 10 shot attempts and two of his four 3-point attempts to score 14 points in 42 minutes. He even contributed on the defensive end with three steals and two blocks.
Ayton was involved early on offense, and he took advantage by scoring 12 points in the first half. That seemed to set a positive tone for him that he maintained throughout the game.
He ended up with 19 points on 8-of-10 field-goal shooting and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. In 35 minutes, he also grabbed 10 rebounds, and he notched two assists and one block.
Ayton's overall defensive effort and intensity were solid. His opposite number, two-time All-Star center Alperen Sengun, went 6-of-19 from the field, and he did a fairly good job of being physical with Sengun deep in the paint.
This is the type of overall production that Los Angeles needs from Ayton if it is going to have a real chance of winning this series.
Lakers coach JJ Redick, not to mention Lakers fans, has wanted Kennard to be more aggressive when it comes to looking to shoot the ball ever since he arrived in a February trade. On Saturday, he did exactly that, and he had one of the best games of his career.
He carried L.A.'s offense in the first quarter with 11 points. He went scoreless in the second quarter, but afterward, he found the right moments to assert himself. He hit a pair of treys in the fourth quarter to boost L.A.'s lead, and both of them were contested and relatively difficult attempts.
Overall, Kennard went 9-of-13 from the field and hit all five of his attempts from downtown, giving him 27 points, which is a new career playoff high for him. He also had four rebounds and three assists in 38 minutes.
James came out looking to set up his teammates early, and as a result, he had eight assists in the first quarter. While he scored only six points in the first half, he helped the Lakers get off to a hot start offensively.
Later on, he picked his spots offensively to make sure his team remained ahead by enough of a margin, especially in the fourth quarter, when he scored nine points. James ended up with 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting, eight rebounds, 13 assists, two steals and one block.
The fact that the Lakers won this game by a decent margin while James barely broke a sweat offensively should bode well for them moving forward.
Vanderbilt played 18 minutes and made one of his two shot attempts (his lone make was a 3-pointer) while grabbing five rebounds. He did, however, get into foul trouble with five personals, but it was also a sign of the aggressiveness he brought to the table on the defensive end.
LaRavia made one of his three shot attempts and had six points, two rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 18 minutes. Moving forward, the Lakers will need a little more offense from him, especially in terms of hitting 3-pointers, something he has had trouble doing all season long.
Hayes was minimally effective in this game. He played 13 minutes and scored four points while chipping in one rebound and one block. He's another player the Lakers will need more from as this series moves along, not necessarily offensively but mostly on the boards and on the defensive end.
