Luke Kennard stats vs. Rockets: Luka Doncic replacement shoots the lights out for Lakers in Game 1
Here is how Luke Kennard made up for the Lakers' absences and led the team to a Game 1 win over the Rockets.
Luke Kennard stats vs. Rockets: Luka Doncic replacement shoots the lights out for Lakers in Game 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series on Saturday night. The Lakers entered the postseason with two major injuries, as both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were out. LeBron James was expected to take over and put the team on his back, and it showed in the first half when he had 10 assists.
When the dust settled on the game, though, James had played a solid game, but he wasn't the driving force behind the team's 107-98 victory. That honor went to Luke Kennard. Kennard was acquired from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline as a reliable player to come off the bench, but with the injuries to two stars in the backcourt, he was thrust into a postseason starting role.
Kennard didn't squander his opportunity and put forth one of the best games of his career as Los Angeles took the series opener. Here is more on how Kennard stepped up for the Lakers and led the team to a Game 1 win against the Rockets in the first round of the 2026 playoffs. MORE : Why did Kevin Durant not play in Game 1?