Lakers upset Rockets in opener

Despite missing key starters Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers capitalized on the last-minute absence of Kevin Durant to take an early series lead.

Luke Kennard scored a career playoff-high 27 points, while LeBron James contributed 19 points and 13 assists in a dominant performance at Crypto.com Arena.

The Rockets struggled to find offensive rhythm without Durant, who suffered a knee contusion during a mid-week practice session.

This victory significantly shifts the momentum in favor of the fourth-seeded Lakers as the NBA postseason gets underway.