Lakers Rout Rockets 98-78 to Reach Western Semis

Sport

By lines

May 1, 2026

The Los Angeles Lakers eliminated the Houston Rockets 98-78 in Game 6 on Thursday night. LeBron James delivered 28 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists across 37 minutes. The Lakers clinched the first-round series four games to two.

Lakers Strangled Houston From the Opening Quarter

James connected on 10 of 25 field goal attempts. James hit two of five three-point shots. The Lakers built an 18-point halftime advantage that Houston never seriously challenged.

Houston held its final lead in the closing seconds of the first quarter. The Lakers stretched that cushion to 20 points by the middle of the third period. The Rockets mounted no sustained run for the remainder of the game.

The Rockets played without Kevin Durant for Games 5 and 6 of the series. Luka Doncic sat out Game 6 entirely. Houston’s offense collapsed without its two highest-usage creators on the floor together.

The Lakers now advance to the Western Conference Semifinals. The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder await in the next round. The Thunder secured the West’s No. 1 seed for the third consecutive season behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished the regular season on a historic scoring streak. The Thunder posted the best record in the Western Conference for the third straight year. The Lakers will need James at this level to compete against OKC’s depth.