Los Angeles Lakers: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

LeBron James now trails only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in stunning NBA playoff stat

LeBron James led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 107 to 98 victory over the Houston Rockets in their playoff opener last Saturday. While Luke Kennard’s 27 point performance stood out, it was James who controlled the game and ensured the Lakers made a strong start to the series.

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The Quiz of the Day

JJ Redick: Kevin Durant Missing Game 1 Didn’t Affect Lakers’ Mentality Against Rockies

People outside of the Los Angeles Lakers organization didn’t give them much of a chance to advance past the Houston Rockets in round one of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Kobe Bryant News / HITC / April 19

Ex-Laker shares 2013 story of Kobe Bryant meeting idol who passed away last week

Oscar Schmidt, one of basketball’s greatest international players, passed away on Friday at the age of 68 after suffering a cardiopulmonary arrest, following a long battle with a brain tumour.

Philadelphia 76ers News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'Most NBA-debut points by NBA team' quiz

How many of the players to score the most points in their NBA debut for every franchise can you name in five minutes?

NBA News / Athlon Sports / April 19

Shannon Sharpe Points Out Major Shortcoming Despite Lakers Win Over Rockets

The Los Angeles Lakers got the result they wanted with a 107-98 playoff win over the Houston Rockets, but Shannon Sharpe is not completely convinced everything is fine.

NBA News / Yardbarker

The 25 greatest playoff games in NBA history

In the NBA, it's all about showing up and showing out in the posteason. With that in mind, here are the 25 greatest NBA playoff games of all time.

Los Angeles Lakers News / Lakers Nation / April 19

Luke Kennard & LeBron James Dismantle Rockets In Game 1

The Los Angeles Lakers closed the 2025-26 season on a three-game winning streak, but were still considered massive underdogs going into their first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets.

Los Angeles Lakers News / Athlon Sports / April 19

D’Angelo Russell Makes Lakers Move During NBA Playoffs

The world watched the Los Angeles Lakers open their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles played without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, while Houston’s Kevin Durant was ruled out with a knee injury before tip-off.

Los Angeles Lakers News / EssentiallySports / April 19

Lakers Legend Says LeBron James Is in His 'Magic Johnson Era' After Record-Breaking Playoff Performance vs Rockets

At 41, most athletes sit neck deep into retirement; LeBron James isn’t one of them. He is truly Father Time’s biggest rival. And it is safe to say, he is still dominating the floor at the highest level.

LeBron James News / Yardbarker

The 25 defining moments of LeBron James' career

LeBron's career can't go on forever, can it? If it were to end tomorrow, it would be the greatest run of sustained excellence the league has ever seen.

Los Angeles Lakers News / Fadeaway World / April 19

JJ Redick Praises LeBron James, Luke Kennard, And Deandre Ayton After Big Game 1 Win Over Rockets

The Los Angeles Lakers have gone up 1-0 in their first-round series against the Houston Rockets following a 107-98 win at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.

Los Angeles Lakers News / Fadeaway World / April 19

Watch: Rui Hachimura Was Not Happy After LeBron James Yelled At Him During Lakers-Rockets Game

Not a lot went wrong for the Los Angeles Lakers in their impressive 107-98 win over the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of their first-round series at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The 'Stanley Cup Playoff hat-tricks' quiz

The 'Most NBA-debut points by NBA team' quiz

The 'Multiple 200 three-pointer seasons' quiz

The 'Most 25-PPG NBA seasons' quiz

Los Angeles Lakers News / Fadeaway World / April 19

LeBron James Gets Real On Playing With Bronny In The Playoffs: 'Craziest Thing That’s Ever Happened To Me'

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 107-98 in Game 1 of their first-round series at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday. While James was overjoyed with the win in itself, he also spoke in his postgame press conference about how special it was for him to share the court with his son, Bronny James.

NBA News / Silver Screen & Roll / April 19

Player Grades: Lakers vs. Rockets

Across the regular season, the crowd at Lakers games does not rank among the best in the league. The lion’s share of the blame falls on ownership for pricing out the common, diehard fans and replacing them with fans who too often view the game as a status symbol rather than a chance to root on a team they’re a fan of.

NBA News / NBA on ClutchPoints / April 19

JJ Redick’s brutally honest admission about Kevin Durant’s Game 1 injury

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers did not find out that Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant was going to be sidelined for Game 1 of their opening round playoff series until a little over an hour before tip-off.

Los Angeles Lakers News / NBA on ClutchPoints / April 19

Lakers’ JJ Redick gives props to Deandre Ayton for two-way play vs. Rockets

JJ Redick had high praises for Deandre Ayton following the star center’s performance in the Los Angeles Lakers’ Game 1 win over the Houston Rockets in the first round on Saturday night.

NBA News / Fadeaway World / April 19

5 Things We Learned After Lakers Stifle Rockets In Game 1 Victory

The Los Angeles Lakers opened their playoff series with a commanding 107-98 win over the Houston Rockets. Despite Houston’s edge on the glass, Los Angeles dictated the game flow, leading for 93% of the contest and never allowing the Rockets to establish consistent rhythm offensively.

NBA News / Yardbarker / April 19

Unlikely hero Luke Kennard leads Lakers to Game 1 win over Rockets

With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both out of action and unlikely to return in the series, the Los Angeles Lakers were led by an unlikely hero on Saturday night.

Adam Silver may have revealed LeBron James' plans for next season

All-Star duo leads Nuggets to ugly Game 1 win over Timberwolves

Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray show why Nuggets are still title contenders

Anthony Edwards had a curious reaction to Timberwolves’ loss

NBA stars under the most pressure to perform in playoffs

Los Angeles Lakers News / Athlon Sports / April 18

Lakers’ JJ Redick Announces Luka Doncic Update Before Rockets Game

The Los Angeles Lakers’ postseason begins Saturday under less-than-ideal circumstances. Their first-round series against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets