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How Social Media Reacted to the Rockets’ Game 1 Loss to Lakers

How social media reacted to Houston's loss in Los Angeles.
Derek Parker|
Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket agianst Houston Rockets guard Josh Okogie (20) in the first half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket agianst Houston Rockets guard Josh Okogie (20) in the first half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Houston RocketsLos Angeles Lakers

The Rockets faced off against the Lakers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, tipping off its most crucial series in some time. With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves slated to miss some or all of the seven-game tilt, many penciled in Houston for its first series win since 2020.

Ultimately, things wouldn't go as planned for the Rockets, with the Lakers grabbing a big win in Game 1 behind play from LeBron James, Luke Kennard and plenty more.

Just hours before the game, it was announced that superstar forward Kevin Durant would officially miss the game with a right knee contusion, a shocking revelation that came about just the day before Game 1. For weeks now, only lead guard Fred VanVleet and center Steven Adams have been on the injury report, though Durant was unable to go in the series opener, and his loss was felt. 

The Rockets’ offense struggled for most of the game, with Durant and VanVleet's absenses felt especially. Alperen Sengun, Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson tried to patchwork together half-court offense, though it largely led to bad shot quality overall.

The Lakers would grab an early lead and wouldn’t relent, letting the Rockets get close near the end of the second quarter and start of the third, though largely keeping Houston at arm’s length for most of the game. In the fourth, multiple plays from James and Kennard would see the lead blossom all the way to 16, with Houston unable to create enough good offense to get back into it.

Here is how X, formerly known as Twitter, reacted to Game 1 between the Rockets and Lakers:

The Rockets and Lakers will play Game 2 in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 21. If Saturday’s game was any indication, Durant’s availability is going to be a must for Houston, with the team having a slim chance otherwise. His status won’t be known until the ramp up to the game, though a contusion shouldn’t keep him out much longer.

There's little chance that the Rockets' young core will be able to advance past even James and co. without Durant, and that's not accounting for an eventual return from a superstar in Doncic.

Houston will ideally look to steal Game 2 in Los Angeles, before a two-game return to Houston, where it's odds may be better.

The Rockets and Lakers will tip off in the late slot at 9:30 p.m. CT Tuesday. 

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Derek Parker
DEREK PARKER

Derek Parker covers the National Basketball Association, and has brought On SI five seasons of coverage across several different teams. He graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2020, and has experience working in print, video and radio.

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