The Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets on Saturday in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series, and if you’re wondering how you can watch all the action live, you’ve come to the right place.
With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves still out of action due to hamstring and oblique strains, respectively, the Lakers will start the playoffs against Kevin Durant and the Rockets, who are the fifth seed in the West. They finished with a 53-29 record, which was one win better than the Rockets, and their momentum was rudely interrupted by the twin injuries to their top two scoring threats.
When Doncic and Reaves suffered their injuries in a 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, Los Angeles had won 16 of its previous 18 games and was looking like a dark horse contender. That loss was the first of three in a row, but L.A. was able to pull itself together enough to end the regular season with three victories in a row.
Houston, meanwhile, has had issues at various times this season, but it won nine of its last 10 games of the regular season. Kevin Durant, who is 37 years of age, continues to play at a superstar level, and center Alperen Sengun made the All-Star game for the second time in a row this season. Wing Amen Thompson blossomed into a stud this year, and he has been masquerading as a point guard with Fred VanVleet out for the season due to a torn ACL.
The Lakers won their season series against Houston two games to one, but that is now irrelevant.
Here’s how to watch the Lakers game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:
What channel is Lakers vs Rockets game on today? Time, TV schedule
TV Channel: ABC
Start time: 5:30 p.m. Pacific time
Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, Calif.
Where to watch Lakers vs Rockets on livestream
Watch Lakers vs Rockets live on Fubo (free trial)
Lakers vs Rockets injury reports
Rockets: Kevin Durant (right knee contusion) is questionable. Steven Adams (left ankle surgery) and Fred VanVleet (right knee ACL repair) are out.
Lakers: Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (left oblique muscle strain) are out.
Lakers vs Rockets predictions, picks, odds
Rockets 110, Lakers 102: The Lakers could be in for a bit of a shock early in this game if they have trouble scoring and hitting from the outside, and if so, this game could turn ugly in a hurry.
ODDS: Rockets by 5.5
O/U: 207 1/2
All NBA Odds via BetMGM.
Lakers schedule 2025-26
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This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: How to watch Lakers vs Rockets Game 1 today: Time, TV channel
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
