LeBron scores 28, leads
short-handed Lakers past Durant's Rockets again 101-94 for 2-0 series
lead
[April 22, 2026]
By GREG BEACHAM
LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James had 28 points, eight rebounds and
seven assists, and the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers outlasted the
Houston Rockets for a 101-94 victory Tuesday night and a stunning
2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Marcus Smart had 25 points with five 3-pointers and seven assists
for the Lakers, who have twice overcome the absences of Luka Doncic
and Austin Reaves with a comprehensive team effort led by the
41-year-old James. Los Angeles did it in Game 2 despite the return
of Kevin Durant, who scored just three of his 23 points in the
second half against the Lakers' tenacious defense.
“We executed the game plan offensively and defensively, shored up
some of our mistakes from Game 1, and just got into a dogfight,”
James said. “When we have two big guns out like we have, we've all
got to pick up our play, and that's all it's about. We're all just
trying to make contributions on offense and seize the opportunity.”
Luke Kennard scored 23 points for Los Angeles, which nursed a small
lead throughout the fourth quarter of Game 2. Smart found James
streaking down the lane for a theatrical two-handed dunk with 55
seconds left, and Kennard added two late free throws to ice it.
Game 3 is Friday in Houston.
Alperen Sengun had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the fifth-seeded
Rockets, who again struggled offensively even with Durant making his
Houston playoff debut. Jabari Smith Jr. scored 18 points and Amen
Thompson had 16, but the Rockets made only 40.4% of their shots and
managed just seven 3-pointers.
Three days after he missed the series opener with a right knee
bruise, Durant took only 12 shots and had nine turnovers to begin
his fourth career playoff matchup against James. The superstars
previously met in the NBA Finals in 2012, 2017 and 2018.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James grimaces as he holds his
finger during the first half in Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoffs
basketball series against the Houston Rockets, Tuesday, April 21,
2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
“They started doubling me from possession one,”
Durant said. “I’ve got to do better and not put my teammates in bad
positions when I’m swinging the ball. ... We're just not making
shots, to be honest. We're not shooting the ball well. We're missing
a lot of layups. I just think that's the difference in the game.
They're making shots. Smart was the guy that knocked down shots for
them today. Kennard, too.”
Durant blocked Kennard’s shot on the first possession of Game 2, but
then got in early foul trouble while the Lakers again streaked to a
large first-half lead.
The Lakers are getting exceptional postseason play from Smart, the
longtime Celtics guard who joined Los Angeles this season. Although
he missed much of the regular-season stretch run due to injury,
Smart has immediately added toughness and playmaking acumen to the
Lakers' supporting cast.
“He just had a killer game tonight,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of
Smart. “He did a great job defensively. He made shots. He's an
unbelievable player.”
Both Smart and Kennard went 8 for 13 from the field, combining for
eight 3-pointers.
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