Magic Johnson Sends Clear Message to Lakers After Game 1 Win Against Rockets
Even without the injured Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 107-98 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
Luke Kennard led the Lakers in scoring with 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field. He also went 5-of-5 from deep and tallied four rebounds and three assists, helping L.A. lead by as many as 16 points.
James, for his part, was sensational as he recorded a near triple-double of 19 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists. The 41-year-old superstar added two blocks and one steal to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead in the series.
With Kevin Durant sidelined with a knee injury, the Rockets struggled offensively. No one scored more than 20 points for Houston, with their best scorer being Alperen Sengun who had 19.
Following the game, Lakers legend Magic Johnson was full of praise for the team and commended their balanced effort. Aside from Kennard and James, Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura all scored in double digits as well.
Furthermore, Johnson expressed his belief that the Lakers can win the series against the Rockets if the rest of the team gives James the same level of support they did in Game 1.
"The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 107-97 in Game 1!" Johnson wrote. "They had five guys in double figures led by Luke Kennard's 27 points, Deandre Ayton and LeBron both added 19 points, Marcus Smart 15 points, and Rui Hachimara finished with 14 points!"
He added, "If LeBron continues to get this type of support from his teammates, the Lakers have a good chance of winning the Series against the Rockets!"
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 107-97 in Game 1! They had five guys in double figures led by Luke Kennard's 27 points, Deandre Ayton and LeBron both added 19 points, Marcus Smart 15 points, and Rui Hachimara finished with 14 points!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 19, 2026
If LeBron continues to get…
It is unknown when Doncic and Reaves will be able to return to action. That being said, as Johnson pointed out, James will need all the help he can get from his teammates if they want to advance to the next round.
The Lakers and Rockets will play Game 2 of their playoff series at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.
Related: NBA Announces Mistake in Warriors' Play-In Win Against Clippers
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This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 7:23 AM.