2026 Playoffs: (4) Lakers Vs (5) Rockets - Discussion

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by JDLakersFan2019, Apr 12, 2026.

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Who wins the series?

  1. Lakers in 4 or 5

    3 vote(s)
    9.7%
  2. Lakers in 6

    2 vote(s)
    6.5%
  3. Lakers in 7

    11 vote(s)
    35.5%
  4. Rockets in 4 or 5

    11 vote(s)
    35.5%
  5. Rockets in 6

    4 vote(s)
    12.9%
  6. Rockets in 7

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. LALakersFan4Life

    LALakersFan4Life - Rookie -

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    Luka Doncic, JJ Redick Get NO Award Recognition: LeBron James, Lakers TOO Much For Rockets?

     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2026 at 3:24 PM
  2. pika1708

    pika1708 - Lakers Starter -

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    Luka only in Round 2
    AR ahead of Luka, may be available late in R1
     
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  3. LALakersFan4Life

    LALakersFan4Life - Rookie -

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    How LeBron's LEADERSHIP GUIDES Lakers in PLAYOFFS Despite Luka, Reaves INJURIES

     
  4. FrontOfJersey22

    FrontOfJersey22 - Lakers All Star -

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    Tonight is a must win if we want to win this series.
    We can’t expect our role players to come up big when it shifts to Houston.
     
  5. svtzr

    svtzr - Lakers All Star -

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    I think tonight will be a loss, it’s jsut really tough to beat the same team twice in a row in the NBA. I expect Houston to shoot better and be the more physical team, and our guys to shoot a little worse.

    Their season feels on the line tonight.
     
  6. 432J

    432J - Lakers All Star -

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    yeah, can't see them winning again tonight. the rockets aren't going to shoot that poorly two straight games and the lakers aren't going to shoot that well again
     
  7. FrontOfJersey22

    FrontOfJersey22 - Lakers All Star -

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    Where’s the Faith?
     
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  8. Astros

    Astros - Rookie -

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    It's going to be such a letdown that this team won't win a title because Smart/Kennard/Ayton are stepping up big time... If Luka+Reaves are healthy, I still think that OKC series is going to be tough but winnable.

    JJ unlocked Kennard...

    Ayton is playing big time defense.

    We got prime Marcus Smart in action right now.

    This Lakers defense is suffocating the Rockets.
     
  9. BadCoaching

    BadCoaching - Rookie -

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    Really proud of their defense, I don't think anyone was expecting it.

    This could get very interesting if they sneak through the first round and Luka and Austin are ready to go.
     
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  10. Pioneer10

    Pioneer10 - Lakers All Star -

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    i was thinking they could try to sit lebron and smart game 3 to rest and prolong the series especially with AR on track to come back but I was thinking that they were just scraping together some wins. They've looked like the better team frankly so go for the sweep
     
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  11. sk2408

    sk2408 - Lakers Starter -

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    I am genuinely stunned, the Rockets are f***ing bums lol
     
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  12. JSM

    JSM - Lakers Legend -

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    Great gutsy team effort. Proud of the steady defensive effort and guys stepping up in the absence of Luka and Austin.

    We withstood KD's initial flurry and shut him down in the second half.

    Once again, JJ outcoached Udoka. What else can they do? They're going to win at least one at home, their guys will shoot a bit better on their rim.

    Rockets are frauds. Maybe with Adams and a PG next year, they have a wildly different team. But so far, these Rockets are not impressive at all.
     
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  13. Toklat

    Toklat - Lakers Starter -

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    I can't believe how many people were thinking we would lose this one. We are the better team with the best player even without Luka and AR. Smart and Kennard are wanting this one. LeBron is controlling the series completely.
     
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  14. SamsonMiodek

    SamsonMiodek - Lakers 6th Man -

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    Our team being this ggod on D, and with Luke playing big minutes, was not on my bingo card. Way to go, very proud of this team right now.

    They have a real chance of beating Houston and actually should be considered the favorites from now on. There's no way they beat OKC in round 2, but it would still be great to get there and have a chance to assess which players are worth keeping in a series against the champs.
     
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  15. tada

    tada - Lakers All Star -

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  16. Weezy

    Weezy Moderator Staff Member

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    To be fair, as good as Kennard is, I don’t think many expected him to be averaging 25 ppg. Or Marcus Smart to go off for 25 and hit 5-7 threes while being absolutely everywhere on defense. I just hope the starters can maintain the load they’re carrying and the minutes they’re playing, JJ is only playing 8 guys right now and we got 6 points from the bench all from Hayes. If you told me that’s what we’d be getting from the bench I for sure would have thought we lost this game, but man our defense has been something else to make up for it. I can see coming back to LA with the series 2-2 though, they’re going to get away with murder on their home court with how physical they play.
     
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  17. Toklat

    Toklat - Lakers Starter -

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    This is how inspired teams play, what didn't seem possible before becomes so. What the playoffs are all about, players stepping up, fun to see.
     
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  18. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    Can’t be they’re getting beat by a more talented team and outcoached as well?
     
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  19. LALakersFan4Life

    LALakersFan4Life - Rookie -

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    Lakers Nation Post Game Show

     
  20. LALakersFan4Life

    LALakersFan4Life - Rookie -

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    Jovan Buha Post Game Show

     

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