Houston dropped Game 1 on the road, 107-98. Lakers sharpshooter Luke Kennard poured in 27 points, going 5-for-5 from three-point range, while LeBron James played 41 minutes and produced 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in the win.
The absence of Durant opened the door for scrutiny of Houston’s approach, with NBA analyst Bill Simmons criticizing what he called stagnant offense and a lack of pressure, arguing the results were more about the Rockets’ execution than Los Angeles’s strength.
Simmons also warned that an early playoff exit without Durant could escalate the scrutiny on Rockets coach Ime Udoka, suggesting the situation could trigger major changes and that Houston has assets that could be moved to recalibrate the roster.
Udoka joined the Rockets in 2023 after his stint with the Boston Celtics, and in three seasons at Houston his club has won about 59% of its regular-season games. Houston made the playoffs in 2025 as the higher seed but were eliminated in seven games.
With Game 2 set for Tuesday, Durant’s availability will be a key storyline. Houston will attempt to stabilize its offense and leverage any added time for Durant to rejoin the lineup as the series progresses.
