LOS ANGELES — Luke Kennard scored a profession playoff-high 27 factors, LeBron James had 19 factors and 13 assists, and the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers capitalized on Kevin Durant’s harm absence for a 107-98 victory over the Houston Rockets in the opener of their first-round playoff sequence on Saturday night time.
Deandre Ayton had 19 factors and 11 rebounds for the fourth-seeded Lakers, who pulled off a formidable win with out their high two scorers.
Both groups performed the opener with out their most essential participant. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have been out indefinitely with accidents since April 2, whereas Durant was a late scratch with a bruised proper knee.
Los Angeles thrived by hitting 60.6% of its photographs whereas holding the Rockets to 37.6% capturing with pesky protection.
Alperen Sengun scored 19 factors and Jabari Smith Jr. had 16 factors and 12 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Rockets, who completed one sport behind Los Angeles in the common season. Amen Thompson added 17 factors, however Houston’s younger core obtained off to an inconsistent begin after changing into the agency favourite in this sequence due to the Lakers’ harm woes.
Game 2 is Tuesday night time in Los Angeles.
The Lakers acquired Kennard from Atlanta in early February, and the NBA’s most correct 3-point shooter grew to become a key reserve earlier than he seized a significant position over the previous two weeks in the absence of Los Angeles’ beginning backcourt. He hit 4 3-pointers in Game 1 whereas making 9 of his first 12 photographs.
Durant should wait at the very least yet another sport to make his Rockets playoff debut after banging knees with a teammate in follow Wednesday. Reed Sheppard took his spot in the beginning lineup and hit 5 3-pointers whereas scoring 17 factors, however the Rockets struggled for constant half-court offense in Durant’s absence regardless of grabbing 21 offensive rebounds.
The Lakers took the lead for good on their first bucket of the second half, and so they pushed their benefit to 16 factors in the fourth quarter. Kennard scored 16 factors after halftime, whereas the 41-year-old James started his nineteenth NBA postseason with an impressed, eight-assist first quarter adopted by a number of gritty baskets down the stretch.
Los Angeles additionally obtained a lift from veteran guard Marcus Smart, who had 15 factors and eight assists with 4 3-pointers in his Lakers playoff debut. Smart stated earlier than the sequence that success would come down to “willpower” — and the Lakers clearly had extra for starters.
Bronny James started the second quarter enjoying alongside his well-known father in the primary vital playoff minutes of the 21-year-old’s profession.