NBA Playoffs: LeBron James Gives Lakers a 2-0 Lead Despite Durant’s Return
Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) in the first half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
LeBron James once again carried the Lakers on his back with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in a 101-94 win over the Houston Rockets. At 41, the King continues to defy age and leads Los Angeles to a surprising 2-0 advantage in this first-round playoff series, despite the absences of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Marcus Smart was exceptional with 25 points, 7 assists and 5 steals, confirming his immediate impact since joining the Lakers this season. The former Celtics guard brought the tenacity and basketball IQ needed to compensate for the absence of the team’s two leading scorers, both injured on April 2.
Durant’s Return Not Enough for the Rockets
Kevin Durant made his return after missing Game 1 due to a right knee contusion. Despite posting 23 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, the Rockets superstar scored only 3 points in the second half against the relentless Lakers defense. Durant also committed 9 turnovers in what was his fourth playoff matchup against James, following their NBA Finals battles in 2012, 2017 and 2018.
Alperen Sengun contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds for Houston, while Jabari Smith Jr. added 18 points and Amen Thompson chipped in 16. However, the Rockets shot just 40.4% from the field and made only 7 of 29 three-point attempts (24.1%), a stark contrast to the Lakers‘ 13-of-28 from beyond the arc (46.4%).
HOUSTON, YOU MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM 👀
The Lakers head to Houston up 2-0‼️ pic.twitter.com/yjXaK13ujW
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 22, 2026
Luke Kennard carried over his Game 1 form, shining for Los Angeles with 23 points and 6 rebounds, forming a dangerous duo with Smart. Both players shot 8-of-13 from the field, providing the offensive support James needed. The decisive moment came when Smart found James in the paint for a spectacular dunk with 55 seconds remaining, sealing the Lakers‘ victory.
This symbolic 2-0 lead statistically favors Los Angeles: since 1984, teams leading 2-0 in a playoff series have gone on to win 91.4% of the time (245 wins against 23 losses). Game 3 takes place Friday at Toyota Center in Houston, where the Rockets must respond to keep the series alive. The return dates of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves remain uncertain.
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