The Los Angeles Lakers now hold a commanding 2-0 lead over the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, following a gritty 101–94 victory on Tuesday night at home. Despite missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the underdog Lakers have defeated the Rockets, who just got Kevin Durant back from a knee injury.
LOS ANGELES — Back in March, the Lakers were winning games thanks to an incredibly potent offense. One month later, they’re winning playoff games on the back of their defense.
The Lakers can write a hearty book of all the role players who have stepped up in big moments throughout the franchise’s history. When you win 17 NBA titles, that list is pretty long, in fact.
LeBron James compiled 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 101-94 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series on Tuesday.
The Lakers are missing pieces. They are not missing belief. LeBron James led the way with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as Los Angeles beat the visiting Rockets, 101-94, on Tuesday to take a 2-0 series lead.
In a rock fight of a Game 2, the Lakers did just enough to go ahead 2-0 in the series with a 101-94 win over the Rockets. Offense was a precious commodity throughout the contest, a change of pace from the opening game of the series.
Luka Doncic was presented with his Western Conference Player of the Month for March and scoring champion awards, and the Los Angeles Lakers then built on their Game 1 win to defeat the Houston Rockets, 101-94.
If the Houston Rockets can't win with a healthy Kevin Durant, their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference playoffs could be a short one.
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.
When Lakers owner Jeanie Buss appeared on the Stephen A. Smith Show on SiriusXM, she did not just talk about Luka Doncic; she framed her connection to the team’s new franchise player through one of the most personal moments in Lakers history.
The Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to pick up a 2-0 series lead over the Houston Rockets tonight as they host Game 2 of their first-round playoff series at the Crypto.com Arena.
Luka Doncic is still out of action for coach JJ Redick and the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. The six-time All-Star is still working his way back from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, and there is no guarantee that he will be able to return for the NBA playoffs.
The Los Angeles Lakers are missing the offensive production from Austin Reaves this playoffs. Reaves has been out with a Grade 2 left oblique strain before the 2025-26 NBA season ended.
Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes has quickly built a strong relationship with teammate Luka Doncic both on and off the court, so much so that he has been trying to get a Slovenian passport to play for their national team during the summer.
Luke Kennard has been everything the Los Angeles Lakers hoped for and more when they acquired him at the trade deadline. Kennard has fit in perfectly on the Lakers roster, acting as the team’s best shooting threat but also a reliable secondary ball-handler behind LeBron James.