Rockets vs. Lakers: Can LeBron James shoulder the load if Luka Dončić can’t go? Series keys, schedule and prediction

The Western Conference’s fourth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers will take on the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs. The two franchises haven’t faced each other in the postseason since 2020, when LeBron James’ Lakers dismantled James Harden’s Rockets en route to the championship.

The Lakers outperformed expectations all season, despite a porous defense (115.5 points allowed per 100 possessions) and a net rating (+1.5) that belied their standing. They were the NBA’s best team in the clutch, compiling a 22-8 record and a massive net rating (+26) whenever scores were within five points in the game’s final five minutes.

Credit Luka Dončić, an offensive supernova. He led the league in usage rate (38.1%) as well as field-goal attempts (22.8), 3-point attempts (10.8) and free-throw attempts (10.1) per game. He had the ball in his hands a lot, which is usually a good thing, since he led the Dallas Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals with a roster constructed for him.

These Lakers were originally built for LeBron James, before Dončić fell into their lap last season. It took the majority of this season for second-year head coach JJ Redick to sort out their dynamic, but once he did — leaning heavier into Dončić’s usage, slotting Austin Reaves in as a secondary playmaker and shifting James to arguably the league’s best third option — the Lakers took off, posting a 15-2 record for March.

Then, in an embarrassing loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, the Lakers lost both Dončić (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique) to injury. The status of both for their first-round series remains in serious doubt, as Dončić is reportedly slated to be reevaluated this week, potentially thrusting a 41-year-old James back into a lead role.

If it has felt all year like the Rockets are missing something, it is because they are. Houston lost point guard Fred VanVleet to season-ending right ACL surgery in September and center Steven Adams to season-ending ankle surgery in January.

These were heavy blows for a team that fancied itself a championship contender in the aftermath of acquiring Kevin Durant over the summer. Gone was the guy who got them organized and the guy who got him more chances to get them organized.

So, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka went about constructing an offense from two All-Star pillars: Durant, the 37-year-old assassin, and Alperen Şengün, more of a bully. It featured fits and starts, especially in fourth quarters, largely dependent upon how much Udoka trusted second-year guard Reed Sheppard, which wasn’t often enough.

Amen Thompson is not such a bad starting point for a defense, either. He can hound Dončić, Reaves or James, depending on who has the ball. Houston’s length at wing, where Durant, Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason mostly patrol, helped it field a top-10 defense, despite the presence of Sheppard and Şengün on most units.

For much of the second half of the regular season, the Rockets were the team most everyone else in the top half of the Western Conference playoff bracket wanted to face, if only because they felt so disjointed. But on the campaign’s final day, with the possibility of facing the Denver Nuggets, Houston drew the hobbled Lakers instead.

The Lakers won their regular-season series with the Rockets, 2-1.

Houston had its full contingent (sans VanVleet) for the first meeting on Christmas. A starting lineup of Durant, Smith, Eason, Thompson and Şengün ran the Lakers out of the gym, outscoring them by 25 over 13 minutes of a 119-96 win. That lineup is +38 (on 59/60/92 shooting splits!) in 25 minutes of two games against the Lakers this season.

The two teams met in Houston twice over a 48-hour span in March, as they were jockeying for seeding, and Dončić scored 76 points across a pair of narrow victories. The Rockets were without Şengün (and Adams) in the second of the three meetings.

Dončić and Reaves were practically staggered across all 96 minutes of the two wins, so it is hard to fathom, if neither are healthy, just how much of an onus falls on James.

LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant!

Honestly, why complicate this. These are two of the greatest, if not the two greatest, players of their generation. Assuming Dončić and Reaves are not available, at least for the start of this series, James and Durant will somehow be the offensive engines of this West’s Nos. 4 and 5 seeds at years 23 and 18 of their careers, respectively.

James and Durant have met three times in the NBA Finals and never on the same side of the playoff bracket. LeBron won the first meeting with a powerhouse Miami Heat team in 2012. KD won in 2017 and 2018 with his mighty Golden State Warriors.

Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) dribbles as Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends during the first quarter at Toyota Center.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / REUTERS

This could be the coda to their rivalry. It likely will not be a deciding factor in it. Neither team is considered a serious championship contender, even with Dončić and Reaves. The offensive limitations of Houston, and the defensive limitations of Los Angeles, likely limit their ceilings, as do the ages of their superstar leaders.

They may not be the players they were, but they are damn close. Only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, James Harden, Jaylen Brown, Anthony Edwards and Dončić were more productive in isolation than Durant this season. He remains a midrange maestro.

James, even without Dončić and Reaves this season, is leading lineups that have outscored opponents by 11.3 points per 100 meaningful possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass. He can still do everything on a basketball court at the age of 41.

And we get to watch. Still.

Can LeBron shoulder the necessary load if Dončić and Reaves are limited?

James is still capable of carrying an incredible burden on his own — in limited minutes. He has spent about 18 possessions per game on the court without Dončić and Reaves this season, and the Lakers have had great success, outscoring opponents by 11.3 points per 100 meaningful possessions, per Cleaning the Glass.

At least Durant can share the load with Şengün. Thompson, Sheppard and even Smith, all of them can do — and have done — a little more with the ball than their roles call for in the absence of VanVleet and Adams. Houston still has weapons.

It is not the same with the Lakers. Dončić and Reaves do most of the creation now, and if they aren’t there, James will have to do it almost entirely on his own. Maybe Marcus Smart or Rui Hachimura can get themselves a shot, but the Lakers are built on role players — Deandre Ayton, Jaxson Hayes, Luke Kennard, Jake LaRavia — who can support Los Angeles’ three offensive dynamos with rim running or floor spacing.

There is no better player ever, maybe, at tying those pieces all together than James. In his prime, much like Dončić does now, James could shoulder a league-leading usage rate, orchestrating almost everything on the floor, practically for 48 minutes.

Remember how he carried the Cleveland Cavaliers to the 2018 NBA Finals? Durant does. That one wasn’t a fair fight. This one may be, if James can turn back the clock. It could be too much to ask of a 41-year-old frame. It’s incredible, really, that it’s come to this, if Dončić and Reaves cannot go: LeBron James, doing everything, once more.

On April 2, we were told the injuries to both Dončić and Reaves were pretty significant. Like, maybe a month-long or more. To think either will be available for this series, let alone at full strength, is a long-shot bet. Just ask the bookmakers.

(Via BetMGM)

Los Angeles Lakers (+475)

Houston Rockets (-650)

Game 1: Sat., April 18 at Los Angeles (8:30 p.m., ABC)

Game 2: Tue., April 21 at Los Angeles (10:30 p.m., NBC)

Game 3: Fri., April 24 at Houston (8 p.m., Prime)

Game 4: Sun., April 26 at Houston (9:30 p.m., NBC)

*Game 5: Wed., April 29 at Los Angeles (TBD)

*Game 6: Fri., May 1 at Houston (TBD)

*Game 7: Sun., May 3 at Los Angeles (TBD)

*if necessary

Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer: It’s the perfect time to buy low on these 8 players

The middle of April is prime buy-low season in fantasy baseball. We are deep enough into the season that some managers are losing their patience with slow starters, but we aren’t deep enough to take most of the small-sample data too seriously.

In most situations, it’s too early to make a buy-low deal for an elite player. Most managers will stick with their superstars through a short burst of struggle. By all means, feel free to shoot your shot with an offer for Julio Rodríguez, Ronald Acuña Jr. or José Ramírez. But don’t be surprised if those offers are quickly declined.

Targeting the next tier of players makes the most sense. Players selected in rounds 5-12 are good enough to make a major impact when they are playing well. But they also have a low enough ceiling to be traded when they are in a slump.

Here are some players who fit that description.

As was mentioned in yesterday’s article about catchers, Herrera has shown much better skills this season than his results suggest. The 25-year-old hits second in a Cardinals lineup that has been better than expected and he should be a fine source of batting average and counting stats the rest of the way. Some managers may look at his .200 average and low homer total (one) and believe that he is a fringe asset at the position.

At first glance, we are at the outset of another ho-hum season for Burleson. After all, he’s hitting .270 with two homers and a .786 OPS. But a deeper dive reveals some signs of encouragement. The 27-year-old has taken his plate discipline from good to elite by logging a 14.7% walk rate and an 8.0% strikeout rate. And he is hitting the ball harder than ever before (92.8 mph average exit velocity). His expected stats are much better than his actual marks. This could be the start of a breakout year.

In terms of March ADP, Marte is the best player on this list. Although the second baseman is off to a disappointing start (.212 average, .702 OPS), his 92.4 mph average exit velocity is the second-highest mark of his career and doesn’t correlate with his .208 BABIP. Marte may miss a bit of time each year, but he’s one of the most consistent hitters in baseball and should be hitting .270 by the end of April.

Trevor Story, SS, Red Sox

The buy-low window on Story (.471 OPS) should be wide open. After all, the shortstop disappointed fantasy managers for three straight years before finally exceeding expectations last season. Many managers who bought into the resurgence must be kicking themselves for drafting someone with such a lengthy list of injuries and unproductive stretches.

I would want a major discount on Story. But I haven’t lost sight of the upside he showed when he produced 25 homers and 31 steals last season.

The trade offer for Harris is easy to write — he was mostly ineffective over the previous two seasons and is off to a slow start (.641 OPS) this year. But the underlying numbers show that Harris could be on the verge of taking his game to another level. He’s hitting the ball harder than ever before (92.1 mph average exit velocity) and has career-best marks in xBA (.304) and xSLG (.606). Harris swiped 20 bases in three of his four seasons and is ready to post a career-best homer total.

Bradish is off to a disappointing start, mostly thanks to an elevated 14.8% walk rate. The rest of his stats look fine, including a 27.9% strikeout rate. He is keeping the ball in the yard (one homer allowed), and his 3.20 xERA is much lower than his actual mark (5.27). I would be excited to acquire Bradish, who logged a 2.78 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP across 44 starts from 2023-25, at a discount and hope that his walk rate comes down.

If there is one player I want to acquire on this list, it’s Luzardo. His 6.23 ERA may be more deceiving than the ERA of any other pitcher. The southpaw owns an impressive 26:4 K:BB ratio and has struck out at least seven batters in each of his starts. Luzardo has been felled by brutal luck (.359 BABIP) and terrible timing (46.5% strand rate). His fastball velocity is up this year, and he could perform at an ace level going forward.

Although Palencia has pitched well this year (0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP), some of his managers may be growing impatient with his lack of saves. The low total (one) is simply bad luck, as the Cubs are off to a slow start with an 8-9 record. Chicago is still expected to be a postseason contender, and Palencia is locked in as its closer. He’s an excellent candidate to accumulate 35 saves.

Tigers announce eight-year, $150 million extension with star rookie Kevin McGonigle

The Detroit Tigers saw many other MLB teams sign their star rookies to new mega deals and decided to get in on the act themselves. The Tigers announced an eight-year, $150 million extension with star shortstop — and former top prospect — Kevin McGonigle on Wednesday.

McGonigle, 21, entered the season as the consensus No. 2 prospect in baseball. He made the Tigers out of spring training and is off to a promising start in his first taste of the majors.

The team confirmed McGonigle’s extension in a post on X.

The deal covers five seasons of team control and buys out three years of McGonigle’s free agency. McGonigle will see his salary jump in each year of the contract, topping out at $23 million in 2033 and 2034.

Despite his age and inexperience, McGonigle has hit like a veteran in his first MLB season. Through 17 games, the shortstop is slashing .311/.417/.492 with a home run and eight RBI. He has shown incredible plate discipline and has 11 walks against eight strikeouts so far.

While it typically takes even the best prospects some time to adjust to the majors, McGonigle was always supposed to be special. After being selected by the team in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft, McGonigle shot up prospect boards after a solid minor-league debut and an impressive 2024 season.

Entering last season, McGonigle was rated in the top 30 on nearly all prospect lists, with Baseball Prospectus already considering him the No. 6 overall prospect in the game. He lived up to that billing with a fantastic season, hitting .305/.408/.583 across three minor-league levels.

When Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and MLB.com released their 2026 top-100 prospect lists, McGonigle ranked No. 2 overall on all three, behind only Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin, who was the consensus No. 1 prospect on all three lists.

While Griffin didn’t open the year in the majors, he was quickly called up by the Pirates and signed a mega-extension with the team. Griffin’s deal with the Pirates is for nine years and is said to be worth $140 million.

Griffin and McGonigle are far from the only top prospects with little-to-no MLB experience to ink massive extensions with their organizations this season. In late March, the Seattle Mariners signed shortstop prospect Colt Emerson to a $95 million extension. It was a record number for a player yet to make his major-league debut. Emerson has not been called up to the Mariners just yet, though team president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said Emerson was “as close as they come” to making the majors during an appearance on MLB Network on Monday.

While MLB teams have always been willing to sign young players to long-term contracts, the cost of doing so has gotten higher this year. That likely speaks to the individual talent of each player who signed a mega-extension during the spring, though it could also be a reflection of the upcoming labor negotiations in the offseason.

Perhaps in anticipation of that, teams are trying to lock in the cost of their young, promising players. And those players are agreeing to long-term financial stability ahead of what could be a contentious offseason.

NBA playoffs 2026: Where do the 76ers go from here?

Another season, another late-year issue for Joel Embiid. 

The center was recently diagnosed with appendicitis, continuing an unfortunate trend of him running into medical issues or injuries leading into the postseason, where this time the Philadelphia 76ers play host to the Orlando Magic in the play-in tournament Wednesday night (7:30 p.m. ET, Prime). 

It’s not fair to Embiid or the 76ers to list all that has gone wrong, as that will distract from the larger point, but the question must be asked: 

Are the Sixers on a path to anywhere? 

The organization is one of contrasts and conflicting actions. 

On the one hand, the 76ers will happily offer a then-34-year-old Paul George the full four-year max, despite little to no competition at that price point. 

On the other hand, they’ll trade Jared McCain, who was perhaps on his way to winning Rookie of the Year last season before an injury removed him from the equation, to get under the luxury-tax limit and save a buck. 

They swing big but scale back in the margins, which — historically speaking — leads back to an ownership group that struggles to choose a path. 

Let’s dial it back to the George signing. At the time, the idea was simple: build a big three around Embiid, George and Tyrese Maxey. They might have overestimated George’s value and drastically overpaid, but the idea at least had some merit. 

Whenever a team decides on such a path, it’s only reasonable to expect a willingness to spend further by rounding out the roster with quality role players and accept that the tax will be a part of the immediate future. 

Yet this is where the Sixers differ. Despite allocating an enormous percentage of the cap for three stars, they sacrificed depth by insisting on scaling back on spending. 

This season proved just how big of an emphasis that is for team owner Josh Harris, with the McCain trade underlining the issue. McCain was shipped to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the best team in the league, with the primary objective of ducking the tax.

Now, some will make the fair counter-argument that the trade became significantly more attractive for the Sixers after George was suspended for 25 games for violating the league’s anti-drug policy. Paul’s lost wages put the Sixers, who originally were over the tax line, so close to it, that it was like dangling a chew toy in front of a golden retriever. Good luck not getting ownership to consider getting under. 

Yet, however attractive it might have been to get under the tax and share in the revenue of tax teams, the Sixers seem to fail to understand the message it sends. 

With Maxey, the organization’s star point guard and franchise player, you have to wonder how he felt seeing the team relinquish talent in order to save money. 

Maxey, who is fiercely competitive and plays with a motor that allows him to leave everything on the floor, has become the 76ers’ primary scorer (28.4 points per game) and the key to their offense. He’s leading the league in minutes (38.2), and the Sixers have no issue squeezing him for everything he’s got. 

It’s reasonable to wonder if quick savings and a lack of emphasis on roster depth will eventually force the star to ask some uncomfortable questions about his future with the team. While he’s known as a highly loyal player, let’s not diminish his desire to win consistently and compete for championships. 

The breaking point won’t be the McCain trade, but this is about more than just a poor trade. It’s about culture, and it’s about finding a sense of calm within a season. 

Philadelphia always seem to find itself in the midst of unnecessary drama and off-the-court issues. Add that to the almost constant stream of injuries and the lack of commitment from ownership, and that becomes a bad recipe to build a winning culture. 

The Sixers struck gold by drafting VJ Edgecombe, which will certainly go a long way. That’s not insignificant. 

Furthermore, Embiid played a lot better than anticipated before his appendicitis ended his regular season and potentially the postseason. 

As such, there are plusses … but paying $112 million for just Embiid and George next year is a major financial disadvantage, which only strengthens the need for depth and a real investment in rounding out the roster. 

A trade seems unlikely. Teams aren’t inclined to take on long-term max money for older players with stark injury patterns, and they certainly won’t be interested in relinquishing assets to take those contracts. So we’re back to where the Sixers found themselves before the beginning of The Process almost 13 years ago. 

They’re stuck in the middle, with no obvious path out unless Edgecombe takes such an enormous step that he becomes a Tier-1 superstar. But that won’t fix the salary cap structure, nor will it fix the constant drama that seems to perpetually hover above this team. It’s time for the 76ers to think outside the box and get creative. 

The most obvious avenue is to embrace the Maxey era, meaning every transaction from here on out has to be with him in mind. They can’t dump Embiid or George unless they attach assets to entice teams. But relinquishing assets — like they did with McCain — does not help them. 

The Sixers must enter into a phase of asset acquisition in which they balance the presence of both Embiid and George, understanding — and accepting — there is no way out. This means prioritizing young players in free agency, taking swings on high-upside players in the later stages of the draft and generally making a concerted effort to get younger to optimize their eventual upswing when those players improve. 

This will need to be thoroughly communicated with Maxey, as any investment in the future that centers around younger players could be viewed as an attempt to not go all-in for a championship run. Yet, these are the cards they have been dealt, even if it’s entirely self-inflicted.

They don’t have money to spend on big-name players, they don’t have fantastic control of their own draft picks (the next time they have their outright own first-rounder is in 2030), and their trade options are severely limited. 

Look, is “looking under every rock for talent” a good plan? Perhaps not, but it’s the only one they’ve got. 

Where to watch Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Wednesday, April 15

The Chicago Cubs (8-9) and Philadelphia Phillies (8-9) meet in the decisive third game of their series. The teams split their first two games. Starting pitchers are scheduled to be Shota Imanaga for the Cubs and Jesús Luzardo for the Phillies.

  • Date: Wednesday, April 15

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT

  • Where: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

  • TV Channels: NBCSP, Marquee Sports Network

  • Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

  • Chicago Cubs: 8-9 (No. 5 in NL Central)

  • Philadelphia Phillies: 8-9 (No. 3 in NL East)

  • Spread: Philadelphia Phillies -1.5

  • Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies -135 (54.7%) / Chicago Cubs +110 (45.3%)

  • Over/Under: 8.5

Chicago Cubs: Shota Imanaga (0-1, ERA: 2.81, K: 20, WHIP: 0.81)
Philadelphia Phillies: Jesús Luzardo (1-2, ERA: 6.23, K: 26, WHIP: 1.15)

Weather: 90°F at first pitch

Ballpark: Capacity: 42,901 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass

Where to watch NBA Playoffs Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Wednesday, April 15

The Golden State Warriors, ranked 10th in the Western Conference with a 37-45 record, face the LA Clippers, who are ninth in the West with a 42-40 record. The LA Clippers are favored with a -220 moneyline compared to the Golden State Warriors’ +180. The winner will advance to face the Suns in the conclusion of the Play-In Tournament on Friday.

  • Golden State Warriors: 37-45 (10th in Western Conference)

  • Los Angeles Clippers: 42-40 (ninth in Western Conference)

  • Spread: Los Angeles Clippers -5.5

  • Moneyline: Los Angeles Clippers -220 / Golden State Warriors +180

  • Over/Under: 221.5

Where to watch New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Wednesday, April 15

Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to be on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they attempt to sweep a three-game series from the New York Mets. The Dogers won Tuesday’s game 2-1, handing the Mets their seventh straight loss. Clay Holmes is scheduled to start for the Mets.

  • Date: Wednesday, April 15

  • Time: 10:10 p.m. ET / 7:10 p.m. PT

  • Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA

  • TV Channels: ESPN/ESPN App

  • Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

  • New York Mets: 7-11 (No. 5 in NL East)

  • Los Angeles Dodgers: 13-4 (No. 1 in NL West)

  • Spread: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5

  • Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers -235 (67.0%) / New York Mets +190 (33.0%)

  • Over/Under: 8.0

New York Mets: Clay Holmes (2-1, ERA: 1.50, K: 12, WHIP: 1.11)
Los Angeles Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani (1-0, ERA: 0.00, K: 8, WHIP: 0.75)

Weather: 68°F at first pitch

Ballpark: Capacity: 56,000 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass