Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game 2 Preview, Picks & Odds for Tuesday, April 21, 2026

By Braxton Reynolds | Apr 20, 2026, 8:43pm

Game 2 between the Houston Rockets (0-1) and Los Angeles Lakers (1-0) is set for 10:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC. Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves remain sidelined, while Kevin Durant is questionable to play after missing the series opener. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Durant is “dealing with a deep bruise in his right patellar tendon…that has since caused swelling and pain. It’s impacted his range of motion in the leg, as well.” Hopefully the 16x All-Star is able to return soon.

Rockets vs. Lakers Betting Analysis

Durant averaged 26 points per game on 64.1% true shooting this season, so his absence was obviously a massive blow to Houston’s offense. But 98 total points on 37/33/68 shooting splits against a team that ranked 20th in defensive rating is unacceptable. The Rockets need to find ways to generate more corner triples and raise Alperen Şengün’s shot quality.

An offensive silver lining from Game 1 is Houston attempting 30 shots inside the restricted area. The team only made an abysmal 43.3% of those attempts, but it’s highly unlikely that the Rockets shoot this poorly again. For context, Chicago had the lowest restricted area field goal percentage in the NBA during the regular season at 63.2%.

LeBron James had 19 points and 13 assists as the main offensive option, and Los Angeles outscored Houston by 14.7 points per 100 possessions with him on the court. James excelled at bullying smaller defenders in Game 1.

Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton, and Rui Hachimura also knocked down shots and exceeded expectations against a physical Rockets defense. If they continue to play at this level, then the Lakers may be able to scrape together enough points until Dončić and Reaves return.

The best bet for Game 2 is taking Amen Thompson to record at least 30 points plus rebounds plus assists. He’s a blur compared to the Lakers and has a massive amount of responsibility on both ends of the court. Thompson recorded 31 PRAs in Game 1 despite a poor shooting night from himself and his teammates. Look for him to stuff the box score in Game 2.

Rockets vs. Lakers Best Bet, Pick & Prediction

Best Bet: Amen Thompson Over 29.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-114)
Score Prediction: Rockets 105, Lakers 100

Rockets vs. Lakers Game Odds

Rockets vs. Lakers Game Information

Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Time: 10:40 p.m. ET
Network: NBC
Location: Los Angeles, California
Venue: Crypto.com Arena – 231.3 ppg; 22-20 O/U
Series Score: Lakers 1-0

Rockets vs. Lakers Betting Resources

Rockets vs. Lakers Key Players

Rockets

Alperen Şengün – Last Game: 19 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists
Amen Thompson – Last Game: 17 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists
Reed Sheppard – Last Game: 17 points, 1 rebound, 8 assists

Lakers

LeBron James – Last Game: 19 points, 8 rebounds, 13 assists
Deandre Ayton – Last Game: 19 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists
Luke Kennard – Last Game: 27 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

Braxton Reynolds

Braxton has been covering the NBA for Lineups since the 2022 season. He's worked with multiple collegiate coaching staffs regarding analytics and scouting, which has allowed him to understand the game on a deeper level. Braxton also currently writes about the Oklahoma City Thunder for Thunder Roundtable.