NBA Playoffs: LeBron James and Luke Kennard lead LA Lakers to shock win over Houston Rockets in game one with Kevin Durant absent

The Los Angeles Lakers stunned the Houston Rockets 107-98 in game one of their first-round playoff series that saw LeBron James take 19 points and 13 assists.

But it was Luke Kennard who put himself in Lakers' history books with a 27-point game, the second-most points that a player has scored in their Lakers postseason debut and a personal career playoff best after moving from Atlanta in February.

The home side were able to capitalise on Kevin Durant's absence due to injury, however the eight-year wait to see legends James and Durant play one another in a play-off game continues.

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"I gotta do a little bit of everything, that's what the job requires," James said.

"So it's being a triple threat, being able to rebound, pass, shoot, go defend and to be able to put myself in a position to bring value to the team.

"It's going to be a game-to-game situation to see how it plays out.

"I don't predetermine what I'm going to do, the only thing that's predetermined is how I prepare.

"I've been in every situation you'd ever imagine as a basketball player, so there's nothing that can surprise me."

Both teams played the opener without their most important player as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have been out indefinitely with injuries since April 2, while Durant was a late scratch with a bruised right knee.

But the game also gave James another career highlight as he was able to share the court with his son, Bronny James, in the playoffs for the first time with their family watching on in the stands.

"There's a lot of crazy things that've been going on this year," James added.

"I was on the floor with my son in a playoff game, that's probably the craziest thing that's ever happened in my career.

"It was so cool to be out there with him, and his brother, and his sister, and his mom in the building, and his grandma.

"My mom gets to watch her son and her grandson during the playoffs. That's crazy."

Los Angeles thrived by hitting 60.6 per cent of their shots while holding the Rockets to 37.6 per cent shooting with pesky defense.

Game two is on from 3.30am on April 22, live on Sky Sports, in Los Angeles. Durant must wait at least one more game to make his Rockets playoff debut after banging knees with a team-mate in practice.

Nuggets, Cavaliers and Knicks take game one wins

The Cleveland Cavaliers kicked off the 2026 playoffs with a 126-113 win over the Toronto Raptors after three back-to-back losses to the Canadian side earlier in the season.

Max Strus, who had been sidelined most of the season due to an injury, combined with new recruit James Harden for 46 points to lift the Cavaliers ahead and take an important first-game win at home.

While in the Denver Nuggets' 116-105 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Nikola Jokic stole the show once more with a 25-point triple-double to take the first game of the series at home.

The New York Knicks' 113-102 game one win over the Atlanta Hawks looked at half-time to go either way before the home side started to edge further ahead in the third quarter.

Their star, Jalen Brunson, put up 28 points and seven assists to lead the Knicks to take the very early series lead.

How and when to watch the NBA playoffs on Sky Sports

The 2026 NBA playoffs continue on Sky Sports this Sunday, April 19, from 6pm with four games on Sky Sports Action.

All timings listed in British Summer Time:

6pm - Philadelphia 76ers (7) @ Boston Celtics (2)

8.30pm - Phoenix Suns (8) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (1)

11pm - Orlando Magic (8) @ Detroit Pistons (1)

2am - Portland Trail Blazers (7) @ San Antonio Spurs (2)

Sky Sports will also be showing all of the Western Conference Finals live from May 20.