Kennard’s five consecutive three-pointers without a miss made history for the franchise, as he became the first Laker to hit five or more threes in a row since Robert Horry in 1997. The Lakers highlighted the feat after the game, underscoring Kennard’s all-around shooting night.
Kennard said his aggressive approach and willingness to shoot when space opens up were central to the performance, adding that he’s feeding off the team’s confidence as they continue to play without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
In Game 1, Kennard was the lone Lakers player to reach 20 points, and his 27 marked the highest single-game playoff total of his career.
Analysts noted the Lakers posted an unusually high shooting night, with an exceptionally high effective field goal percentage and a notable boost in shot-making, but they cautioned that replicating such efficiency in Game 2 will be difficult.
The series shifts to Game 2 on Tuesday, with the Lakers hoping to sustain the momentum from Kennard’s hot night while the Rockets look to tighten defenses and force a more typical shooting performance.
