Kennard’s complete line also included four rebounds and three assists, as he emerged as the Lakers’ top scorer in the opener. His sharp shooting helped LA establish an early advantage and maintain scoring momentum throughout the game.
JJ Redick, serving as a commentator, praised Kennard for being aggressive from beyond the arc and for his off-ball movement. Redick noted that Kennard’s willingness to take and make threes helped generate more lanes for the paint and contributed to a higher paint-touch rate for the Lakers.
Kennard was acquired at the trade deadline, shipping out Gabe Vincent and arriving from the Atlanta Hawks. He appeared in 32 regular-season games for Los Angeles down the stretch, averaging 23.0 minutes per game with a 52.7% field-goal percentage and 44.8% from three, contributing about 9.0 points per game.
The Lakers defeated the Rockets 107-98 to take a 1-0 lead in the series, reinforcing home-court advantage despite expectations that Houston could control the matchup. The win underscored Kennard’s role as a spark of LA’s offense in this series.
LA will return for Game 2 on Tuesday, April 21, with Kennard’s hot shooting and floor-spacing ability expected again to be pivotal as the Lakers aim to maintain their early series momentum.
