Lakers Take Game 1 as Rockets Offense Falls Flat
· Yahoo Sports
Game 1 is in the books, and… this one slipped.
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The Rockets walked into this series with momentum, confidence, and a real shot to steal one early. Instead, they ran into a Lakers team that looked totally comfortable from the jump and held control, even when things got messy.
Final: 107-98 Lakers.
The frustrating part is that this was a game Houston had chances to take.
The Lakers came out sharp offensively, and it started with LeBron dictating with eight assists in the first quarter alone, just picking Houston apart and putting everyone in the right spots. Deandre Ayton didn’t miss early and finished 8-for-10 with 19 and 11. Rui Hachimura chipped in efficiently. But the swing we didn’t see coming was Luke Kennard.
Kennard went 5-for-5 from three, 9-for-13 from the field, and dropped 27 in his first playoff game as a Laker. A couple of those came off clean looks and every single one felt like it pushed the game just a little further out of reach. Houston never adjusted in time, and it burned them.
Still, even with all that, it was right there…
The Lakers turned it over 18 times. Houston scored 24 points off those. That’s usually how you steal a game on the road. Instead, the Rockets just couldn’t convert enough in the halfcourt to make it matter.
Houston’s offense never found a real rhythm and looked scattered all night- possessions ending in tough looks, rushed decisions, or nothing developing at all. Houston shot under 38-percent from the field and just 11-of-33 from three. And instead of leaning into their most reliable offensive hub, they spent long stretches running things through Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard.
Both had their moments, but didn’t produce enough to justify the apparent game plan that could have been adjusted at any point. Amen finished with 15, seven boards, and three steals. Reed hit five threes, but went just 6-of-20 all night.
Asking them to carry the offense in a playoff setting, especially with the game tightening, is a big ask when Alperen Sengun is right there.
Sengun still got his touches, but not enough in the moments that mattered. He went 6-of-19, and even that number feels like it could’ve been steadier if the offense actually ran through him instead of around him.
Meanwhile, the Lakers stayed composed, shooting 61-percent from the field and just under 53-percent from deep. Even leaving nine points at the line, they still looked controlled and unrushed. When Houston made a push, they answered, and when things got sloppy, they cleaned it up fast enough.
And now? I’m sure the Lakers feel like they’ve got this series in the bag. They controlled Game 1 without playing a perfect game, and that’s a dangerous feeling.
But here’s the part that changes everything- Kevin Durant didn’t play. And he’s coming back into this series after watching that, frustrated and hot.
If you think he’s not walking into Game 2 (pending injury status) ready to take over, you’re not paying attention. This version of the Rockets looks completely different when he’s on the floor. The spacing changes, and decision-making simplifies significantly- and those long, stagnant stretches don’t happen the same way.
Game 1 goes to the Lakers.
Game 2 is where this actually starts.