Latest news and updates about the Rockets
Following the first matchup of any playoff series, both teams, win or lose, return to the drawing board and strategize what they can take forward in future contests. For the Lakers, missing their star shot creators in Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves means the offense will be a journey every night. The regular season numbers […]
Hindsight is 20/20. Foresight is not. So, arguing with the benefit of hindsight will annoy people. Still, if it’s contrary to a view that you’d expressed with (deeply flawed) foresight, it’s responsible. All of which is to say, I thought Fred VanVleet over James Harden was the right call. Now, I think it was a […]
The tale of the tape in the Houston Rockets’ opening round postseason matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers was one that hinged on health. Especially heading into the series. The Los Angeles Lakers were seemingly at their weakest, as the team was forced to play without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves seemingly for the entirety […]
The injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves mean the asks of the Lakers’ role players have increased, both in terms of responsibilities and expected production. For a player like Deandre Ayton, who has been under a microscope for most of the season, it puts even more pressure on him, which can lead to a […]
The first round series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets continues on Tuesday. L.A. looks to take further control of the matchup and protect homecourt by going for 2-0. Start time and TV schedule Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets When: 7:30 p.m. PT, Apr. 21 Where: Crypto.com Arena Watch: NBC, Peacock Just when it […]
The Houston Rockets will look to bounce back tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers. In Game 1, Houston was definitely off their game without Kevin Durant. The injury clearly happened late in the week and threw the Rockets off their game. It added immediate pressure to a series in which Houston is favored thanks to […]
In last season’s Game 1 against the Wolves, the Lakers admitted they weren’t prepared for what was awaiting them. The result was them falling behind the eight ball from the jump and being forced to unsuccessfully play catch-up. Given that the team awaiting them in this year’s first round was a very physical Rockets team, […]
There are few more precious NBA jewels than a quality young core. Everyone wants a young core. Winning an NBA championship is the best possible outcome. If you’re not in the running, the next-most exciting position is to have a young core that could be able to climb that mountain in time. Evaluating the Rockets’ […]
The Houston Rockets were without star forward and leading scorer Kevin Durant in Game 1 versus the L.A. Lakers due to a knee bruise he suffered in practice last week. According to Ime Udoka, it was a mobility issue for KD and not a pain one. Whether that’s just the coach covering for his player […]
With two of the Lakers’ big three out, LeBron James finds himself once again asked to be anything and everything for the purple and gold. That would normally be a ton of pressure to put on one player in the postseason, but LeBron is not your typical athlete. In Game 1 against the Rockets, he […]
Coming off the strongest season of his career, Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. has an opportunity to earn some hardware. The third-year Heat wing was named a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year voting, the league announced Sunday evening. The other two nominees are Denver’s Tim Hardaway Jr. and San Antonio’s Keldon […] The post Jaime Jaquez Jr. named finalist for Sixth Man of the Year award appeared first on Hot Hot Hoops - Miami HEAT NBA Blog .
There was little faith amongst NBA experts that the Lakers could do much of anything against the Rockets. With no Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves to start the postseason, LA had a ton of offensive production unavailable. However, their absence creates opportunities for others, and Luke Kennard got the start in Game 1 and brought […]
LOS ANGELES – Saturday’s Game 1 between the Lakers and Rockets saw the Crypto.com Arena crowd will the purple and gold to victory behind the unlikeliest of leading men. Midway through the fourth with LA leading by 12, the Lakers ran an action to get their lead guard his fifth three of the night and […]
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 […]
The score of this one might suggest that the Rockets weren’t in fact spanked, by the Lakers. They were. This was a wire to wire win for LA, and at no point did it seem like the Rockets were going to push past LA, take a lead, and keep it. The Lakers held the Rockets […]
The deck was stacked against the Lakers heading into the playoffs, but what awaited them was a tower of cards ready to topple over in the Rockets. Kevin Durant being a surprise scratch pregame tilted the tower to the brink of falling and the purple and gold made it a mission to finish the job […]
A career night from Luke Kennard and a double-double from LeBron James powered the Lakers to a Game 1 win over the Rockets, 107-98. After finding out pregame that Kevin Durant would be out due to a right knee contusion, the Lakers took full advantage of the opportunity. LA grabbed a lead in the first […]
Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers April 18, 2026 Location: crypto.com arena, Los Angeles, CA TV:ABC Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español) Online: ABC/ESPN? Time: 7:30 PM CST Probable Starting Lineups Rockets: Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun Lakers: Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Jake Laravia, Lebron James, […]
After two brutal injury blows to end the season, the Lakers are on the other end of the pendulum this time. Prior to Saturday’s Game 1 against the Rockets, Houston head coach Ime Udoka said Kevin Durant would be out for the contest. KD had been listed as questionable with a right knee contusion, an […]
The Lakers have had a history with many teams, including this year’s matchup in the Rockets. One might not think the Lakers and Rockets have any history together, but there is one surprising link between the two franchises. Pat Riley. Drafted by the San Diego Rockets in the 1967 NBA draft as the seventh pick […]
This is a lose-lose series for the Houston Rockets. If the Rockets win the series, then the narrative will be that the Los Angeles Lakers were hurt and of course the Rockets won. If Houston loses the series, they were frauds all along and will need to make wholesale changes this summer to retool around […]
Start time and TV schedule Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets When: 5:30 p.m. PT, Apr. 18 Where: Crypto.com Arena Watch: ABC After months of grinding through the rigorous challenge that is the NBA regular season, the playoffs have arrived and the state of the Lakers has been more uncertain than ever. With Luka Dončić and Austin […]
With the dust settled on the regular season, the Lakers now turn their attention to the playoffs and their first- round matchup with the Houston Rockets. Despite having a better record and home-court advantage over their Western Conference counterpart, Los Angeles is projected to be a large underdog in the series. That’s the harsh reality of […]
There’s a whole other article here that’s tempting to write. Several, even. How about “If the Rockets lose to the Lakers, Ime Udoka should be on the hot seat”? That is a position that could easily be justified. Luka Doncic is out for Game 1, and questionable for Game 2. Austin Reaves is questionable for […]
Happy NBA Playoff week! With the first round Rockets-Lakers series tipping off Saturday night, I figured it would be a good time to highlight three things I am looking forward to going into this series, and hopefully many series after! (Disclaimer: the items on this list are in no order, and are my personal hopes!) […]