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Lakers vs. Thunder live updates: 2026 NBA playoffs Game 1 start time, picks and predictions

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5 months ago

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How and why Los Angeles won its first-round series with Houston.

The thoughts of Dan Woike:

“Two words for the Lakers: resilience and adaptability. The injury to Kevin Durant probably opened the door even wider for the team, but after getting rid of Houston in Game 6, it’s obvious the Lakers would’ve been tough to beat regardless.

“The team played with consistent energy early in the series and found ways to close — even when things got more competitive.”

The thoughts of Will Guillory:

“The easy answer from Houston’s perspective would be Durant’s absence from most of the series due to right knee and left ankle injuries. But the Rockets lost the one game Durant played and frankly, that game may have been Houston’s worst of the series.

“Above all, Lakers coach JJ Redick had his team better prepared for the first few games, in terms of urgency and game plan. It took too long for Ime Udoka to find the proper adjustments. Also, Houston’s offensive performance was so poor — with or without Durant — it couldn’t do enough to take advantage in rebounding and turnovers.”

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