22 Apr 2026

Lakers 101-94 Rockets: LeBron turns back the clock

The 4-seed Los Angeles Lakers beat the 5-seed Houston Rockets 101-94 at Crypto.com Arena to go 2-0 up in their NBA Playoffs first-round series. In front of 19,057 fans, the Lakers controlled most of the night, winning the first and third quarters and holding steady late.

LeBron James led the way with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists, while Marcus Smart supplied timely shooting and defense. Houston leaned on Alperen Sengun’s inside work and Kevin Durant’s scoring, but a cold night from three kept them chasing.

Key performers

– Lakers
LeBron James put up 28 points on 8/20 shooting with 10/14 at the line, adding 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Marcus Smart delivered 25 points, 5 threes, 7 assists and 5 steals, earning a Sofascore Rating of 8.8, the game’s best. Luke Kennard scored 23 on 8/13 shooting with 3/6 from deep and 4/4 free throws. Rui Hachimura added 13 points and 5 rebounds, while Jaxson Hayes chipped in 6 points and 2 blocks.

– Rockets
Kevin Durant scored 23 points on 7/12 shooting and 8/9 free throws, but finished with 9 turnovers. Alperen Sengun posted 20 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks for a strong all-around line and a Sofascore Rating of 8.1. Amen Thompson had 16 points and 9 assists, and Jabari Smith Jr. added 18 points and 6 boards. Tari Eason provided 10 points and 8 rebounds off the bench.

Numbers that mattered

– The arc decided it. The Lakers went 13/28 from three at 46%, while the Rockets shot 7/29 at 24%.
– Free throws favored L.A. They finished 22/28 compared to Houston’s 15/19.
– Houston battled on the glass with a 42-37 edge, including 17 offensive rebounds.
– The Lakers won the turnover battle 12-15 and had 11 steals, including 6 in the fourth quarter.

How the game played out

L.A. jumped out 33-26 after the first quarter and never trailed in the second, building the night’s biggest lead of 15. The Rockets cut it to 75-68 by the end of the third, but the Lakers kept answers ready.

In the final minutes, Marcus Smart buried a key three with 2:23 left to make it 95-87. Tari Eason replied from deep, and Sengun scored twice inside, but LeBron’s late bucket plus Luke Kennard’s calm free throws in the final seconds closed it out 101-94. The Lakers spent 38:22 in front and matched the Rockets 26-26 in the fourth to see the game home.

Series outlook

The Lakers hold a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference first round. They owned the shot quality in Game 2 and leaned on veteran poise in winning time. Houston’s interior work and second-chance points kept things competitive, but the three-point gap was the difference.

Track live scores, play-by-play and every Sofascore Rating for the NBA Playoffs on Sofascore, plus quick access to team stats and highlights.