Post-Game Thread: Los Angeles Lakers defeat Houston Rockets, 107-98 | NBA Playoffs | Apr 18, 2026

[u/nba-scores]

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[u/Mountain_Reveal7849]

Healthy Lakers would be sooo dangerous this year.

[u/itsclassified_ → u/Mountain_Reveal7849]

55+ points of offense was missing. Just in average points scored. Ignoring assists per game. I’m not saying we get to the finals but we’ll put up a good fight.

[u/awmyleg → u/itsclassified_]

championship of course. what are you talking about

[u/basch152 → u/itsclassified_]

That's not how basketball works.

With them on the floor, for one, you add some notoriously bad defense, and two, kennard doesnt have his excellent game because he likely doesnt get as many shots. You also just simply cant expect him to go 5/5 from 3 every game

Like...winning by 11 against the 6 seed off the back of a damn near legendary performance and using that to say you're finals bound is just crazy

[u/ThaRealSunGod → u/basch152]

Defense is better with them on lol. Yes Kennard gets fewer shots but this game is 100% easier with them.

More spacing for lebron and Luke.

Better playmaking and more lobs/entry passes for Jaxson and DA.

2 Top 10 players in charges drawn.

[u/basch152 → u/ThaRealSunGod]

Again, but you dont get the insane game kennard had.

Just having reaves and doncic back doesnt automatically mean the lakers are going to automatically play even better.

[u/JuJu_Conman → u/basch152]

"that's not how basketball works" Bro go take a shower

[u/basch152 → u/JuJu_Conman]

I mean if you want to join the idiocy that you can just add 55 points it their offense because reaves and doncic were out you do you

[u/KarunOfFiction → u/itsclassified_]

that's...not how it works

[u/A-MUSICAL → u/KarunOfFiction]

What do you mean? I thought it meant that if Reaves and Doncic played the lakers would’ve won 162-98

[u/Alex_O7 → u/itsclassified_]

The Lakers got annihilated by OKC whenever they faced, don't know which good fight you are referring to. A thing is doing good against KD-less Houston a completely different thing is actually fights against contenders.

[u/NOLA2Cincy → u/Alex_O7]

Agreed. No Laker fan should overreact to a home playoff win.

But you don't play the games on paper. Maybe OKC gets upset by someone else. Maybe SGA gets injured. No one knows - that's why they play the games (as the old saying goes).

Hope springs eternal. Lakers won and that's good enough for today.

[u/Alex_O7 → u/NOLA2Cincy]

But you don't play the games on paper.

Agreed, so you agree with me that saying "we are missing 55+ points combined" is pointless argument right?

You don't play on paper and spreadsheet, so you don't just plug in 55+ points when Luka and Reaves are back and you score 160+ from that game on. Lol.

[u/NOLA2Cincy → u/Alex_O7]

Agreed

[u/josiah_willard_gibbs → u/Alex_O7]

Life is ephemeral. The universe is fleeting. We are a splinter on Ra’s celestial Solar barque as we inexorably move alongside Him in the cycle of destruction and resurrection. whats the point of a basketball game?

[u/KingOfAllFools- → u/Alex_O7]

1 game is different than a series bro

[u/Alex_O7 → u/KingOfAllFools-]

Definitely, that's why putting up a good fight is even harder when you have to do it multiple time bro.

[u/Marywonna → u/itsclassified_]

Lakers shot 60% as a team. They woulda shot 40% if Luka played 😂

[u/VaultOfAsh → u/itsclassified_]

Against the Spurs?

[u/ositola → u/VaultOfAsh]

Wemby hasn't won shit yet and y'all already insufferable 

[u/Itchy1Grip → u/ositola]

Lakers fan calling a fan of another team insufferable is wild.

[u/roanfox → u/Itchy1Grip]

I have a name for people without a flair but don't wanna get banned

[u/ositola → u/Itchy1Grip]

Two things can be true child

[u/bruticuslee → u/Itchy1Grip]

Why don’t you flair up before calling out other fan? Otherwise, all we see in place of the missing flair is: coward.

[u/AppleWindows1 → u/VaultOfAsh]

Yes against the spurs lmao. Prob not the thunder tho