play Live Sign upShow navigation menuplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upSport|BasketballLeBron James nets 28, Lakers grab 2-0 lead on Rockets in NBA Playoff seriesKevin Durant scores 23 for Houston but the Lakers bag a 101-94 win despite a depleted team, with Luka Doncic missing.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoLeBron James leads the Los Angeles Lakers to a 101-94 win over the Houston Rockets in Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoffs series in Los Angeles, US, April 21, 2026 [Mark J Terrill/AP Photo]By ReutersPublished On 22 Apr 202622 Apr 2026LeBron James compiled 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 101-94 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets, taking a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
With leading scorers Luka Doncic (hamstring injury) and Austin Reaves (oblique strain) watching from the bench on Tuesday, Marcus Smart added 25 points, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range, and Game 1 hero Luke Kennard contributed 23 points, which included 3 of 6 from deep.
“Just as hard as we played in Game 1, we had to double that in Game 2,” James said. “We understood what they wanted to come in [with], the desperation they were going to have, so we had to be even more desperate. And I thought we played a hell of a game.”
Kevin Durant, who missed the opening game with a right knee contusion, scored 23 points for Houston, but he had nine turnovers and was held to just three points after half-time.
Houston’s Alperen Sengun paired 20 points with 11 rebounds, Jabari Smith Jr had 18 points, and Amen Thompson posted 16 points and nine assists.
“The turnovers hurt us, but outside of the third quarter, [we were] decent overall,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “But 7-for-29 from three, 8-for-20 on second-chance points, and shooting 40 percent is not good enough … [We’re] defending well enough, but not scoring. That’s the bottom line from these two games.”
The best-of-seven series shifts to Houston for Game 3 on Friday.
Trail Blazers win as Wembanyama suffers concussionScoot Henderson poured in a season-best 31 points as the visiting Portland Trail Blazers came back from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to outlast the short-handed San Antonio Spurs 106-103 and even their first-round Western Conference playoff series at one win each.
The teams will play Game 3 on Friday in Portland, and it is unclear whether the Spurs will have Victor Wembanyama available. The NBA Defensive Player of the Year hit his face on the floor in the second quarter and was diagnosed with a concussion. He is scheduled for further testing on Wednesday.
The Spurs, led by Stephon Castle’s team-high 18 points, carried a one-point lead into the fourth quarter but reeled off the first 13 points of the final period to build their advantage to 93-79. The Trail Blazers roared back to take the lead via a 7-0 run capped by a Jrue Holiday layup with 2:02 left and held on from there.
Holiday produced 16 points and nine assists, and Deni Avdija added 14 points for the Trail Blazers. The Spurs got 17 points from De’Aaron Fox, plus 16 points and 12 rebounds from Devin Vassell.
VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey combined to make 11 3-pointers and score 59 total points as the Philadelphia 76ers bounced back to even the Eastern Conference playoff series with hosts Boston Celtics.
Seventh-seeded Philadelphia shook off a dismal Game 1 performance, which included making just four 3-pointers in a 123-91 loss, with a complete reversal on the offensive end. With 19 points from Paul George, they shot a torrid 19 of 39 (48.7 percent) from beyond the arc in Game 2.
Jaylen Brown went for a game-high 36 points, and Jayson Tatum finished with 19 points to go with his game-high 14 rebounds for the Celtics. No other Boston player reached double figures in scoring, a stark contrast to Game 1, when the Celtics’ entire starting five notched at least 10 points.
