Houston (52-30) at LA Lakers (53-29)
When: Saturday, April 18th 2026
Where: Crypto.com Arena,
Los Angeles, CA
Time: 8:30 ET | TV: ABC
Opening Odds: Houston -5/207.5
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Rockets vs Lakers Recent Meetings
Prediction
There’s a reason why the road team is favored in Game 1 of this series. Houston is just simply better right now than L.A. Doncic and Reaves being out is going to prove to be too much for the Lakers to overcome. They were blasted three straight times when those two were missing from the lineup, but managed to win their final three games. However, those three opponents are all behind L.A. in the standings. Yes, the Rockets lost twice in Los Angeles back in March, but this team has won nine of 10 and are ready for the next step.
Pick: Rockets -5
