The No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers will face the No. 5 Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2026 NBA Western Conference playoffs. The encounter will be headlined by a potential final postseason chapter between future Hall of Famers LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Lakers faces Rockets in NBA Playoffs 1st round as LeBron pitted vs Durant
The series opens Saturday, April 18, with Game 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Lakers finished the regular season at 51-31, while the Rockets went 52-30.
This matchup pits James, who is in his 23rd season, against Durant in what many are calling a legacy-defining series. The two stars have faced off in 46 career games, including three NBA Finals, and their rivalry continues to captivate th NBA fans.
However, the Lakers enter shorthanded, with key players Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves questionable for the series opener. Houston, led by Durant and a young core, will look to exploit the injury issues on JJ Redick’s side and push the pace.
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