Lakers at Rockets Playoff Game 4 Game Day 2026-04-26

Riding momentum after a 112-108 win over the Rockets. A chance to close out the series. What are your predictions? Who should get more playing time?

We need better performance by Ayton and LaRavia. Hayes is actually looking better then our starter. I realize that JJ has shortened his rotation, but he also has to recognize that LeBron is 41 and he is playing a lot of minutes. I could be wrong, but I think he should utilize some of them fresh legs on the bench waiting for a chance to play. But what ever they decide, the Lakers need to close this team out on game four, get some rest for the next opponent which is going to be OKC. We will need Reaves and Luka back to get the revenge match against OKC. It will be tough, but if the Lakers play smart, they can beat OKC. But first lets get rid of Durant and his Rockets.

Let's close it out tonight and give these guys some rest. No need to bring it back to LA. End it tonight and start thinking about how to put up a fight against those dicks in OKC. OKC has jumped to the top of my list of teams I can't stand. They make me think about the time the NBA vetoed the Chris Paul trade because it was, "Bad for basketball". Having a team that is essentially unbeatable is bad for basketball. 90% of the country is hoping that team fails and I am part of that. Honestly, I would be okay with the Celtics beating them.

The Lakers have their number and should win tonight, BUT, at the same time the Lakers might want to extend the games against a team like the Rockets to give Reaves and Luka more time to recover completely from their injuries. Not sure how these playoffs work whether if both the OKC and Lakers both close their opponents in four straight games whether they would have to start playing against each other sooner then if they went seven games. Not sure!

Inconsistent reports once again about Durant. Some say out and some say questionable. Curious though is that his teammates do not seem to know what's going on with him because he is rehabbing away from the team?

There was an article days ago asking whether this series against LeBron could determine his legacy? I think we can all assume that it's on his mind. That ankle sprain came out of nowhere after playing 41 minutes in Game 2?

Once again I am going to assume that he is going to play, but what I think we are witnessing is psychological and emotional, more than physical. Losing a series 4-0 though is a high price to pay for insecurity.

There is something internally broken about the Rockets. It's good for the Lakers but it's hard to watch. I mentioned previously that the do not seem to have a true leader even when Reed Shepherd is on the floor. He is young but that hasn't stopped other rookies from being floor leaders while in the game. With Durant playing hide and seek, when they inevitably experience misdirection, they seem to be looking for leadership and it's not coming from any of the players or even their coach. He blamed the players for the epic collapse last game but where was he? He was assuming that the game was over as well... With that, I will guess that it will happen again. In the NBA you cannot solely rely upon youth, speed and athleticism, and Sen the Goon's elbows truth be told. The Lakers on paper ought to have lost 3 of 4 games thus far especially after Ayton only scored 2 points in the last game. They are killing the Lakers on the offensive boards but it doesn't translate, so how's all that youth and athleticism working out for ya' Houston? Not so well apparently. I think they have lost their confidence too and they need someone to be the emotional leader which they have lacked so far, but that's not going to happen, is it? I predict the Lakers win tonight, or rather the Rockets lose it tonight, and the series closes out in 4, and that this series will be a point of discussion for months to come with every critic chewing on the back of Durant's neck for failing his team. The Lakers have a lot of heart, confident role players and the genius of LeBron who....

And where the rubber meets the road, I agree with Axle that more is needed from Ayton and LaRavia although LaRavia is always impactful on defense and with rebounding. He's a player who knows how to score even when he's not putting the ball in the hoop. Ayton is another beast and reminds me of a child with a broken heart. Everyone notices how he hangs his head and cannot look at the camera when speaking about his performances. He desperately wants JJ's approvals in his own words. IF his teammates know this, then they have to feed him to get the best out of him but he does not move well without the ball. The Lakers want him to create his own shots and fight for rebounds, but he only does that when he has initial success in the first quarter. With Luka scoring 20+ points in many first quarters, that means he is not getting the ball to Ayton. It seems that the Laker guards, including LeBron cannot find him and the results are the same. Perhaps JJ has to intervene but here's my main predictor, if Ayton shows up and has a confident first quarter, the Lakers will never relinquish the lead. JJ ought to know this and perhaps he does, but he uses Jax as a punishment for Ayton, rather than a proper back-up, which is not supporting Ayton's emotional 'Daddy' problems. He's asking Ayton to find his own confidence and inspiration which he is not able to do on his own for now... This is a critical problem when expecting young players with emotional issues to figure things out for themselves; To be professional. Big bodies, but some are still a child at heart. They practice foul....

Smart out of the play after getting hit, and the Rockets unable to capitalize lol. Lakers out to a good start.

Just gotta watch some of those passes- no need to take unnecessary risks...

That's amazing how Lebron at the age of 41, has the lowest body fat of any other Laker.

Good job by Hayes screening off 2 Rockets and then cutting to the hoop to earn 2 FTs.

When is someone gonna call a foul on the Goon for lowering his shoulder, raising elbows and playing football?

Sengun keeps throwing elbows trying to post up, and it's been the defender like Hayes getting called for a foul intead

The Goon just hit Jax with an elbow that sent Jax to the bench for a foul.

Am I seeing something different than everyone else?

Too many bad passes- no need to be in such a hurry

Guys might need to flop a little after getting hit. Bet if it's Ayton doing the same to Sengun, he'd collapse to the ground.

Big triple by Rui to cut it to 5. Assist Bronny.

Despite 3 fouls, Hayes able to force that miss by Sengun- Lakers run out and it's down to 3!

Ayton wide open and Smart finally gets it to him for the merry-go-round and 1!

Lakers down 56-47 at the half. Keep this thing close and they'll feel the pressure late in the 4th.

Lakers look like the walking dead. Turn over after turn overs. LeBron, Kennard and LaRavia have turned the ball over eight times. There is no way they can win passing the ball to a player who is guarded by four defenders. You can not pass into the heart of the defense. Lakers down by nine at the half.

We need the Lakers to pass the ball to the open player. Tonight they are playing to much one on one, and LeBron is showing his age tonight. Has about four turn overs.

Bronny had some wide open looks, but it seemed like he was scared to take the shot. We need more scoring from somebody else, so might as well take the plunge an see if you can hit. If not bring in either Timme or Knecht. We are getting our a**es kicked anyways.

Van Vleet, in an earlier clip, was saying to his teammates to get organized because if they don't the Lakers will take advantage of it. That is the point I was making earlier, that is, inadequate on court leadership.

Kennard showing his ambidexterity.

Ayton never follows his shot.

These are basketball fundamentals.

Why isn't JJ emphasizing these oversights in practice? Smh

Can't be conceding layups now- gotta foul hard

Ayton gives Sengun a little elbow and they're going to review it for a flagrant lol.

Wow that's a flagrant 2? That's ridiculous.

Lakers are not playing like they want to win tonight.

The Goon gets fouled, Flagrant 2 as well, with an accidental elbow. How ironic is that?

Jax protects himself from the Goon's physical assault and gets called for a foul. At some point, this dude is gonna be called out for his style of play.

Lakers getting punked now, losing just about every 50/50 battle. Might need to concede to prevent injury and focus on the next game.

Bronny has to be one of the most popular players in the NBA. Hits a 3 and gets cheers from the Houston fans.

So delete this from my DVR?

Do technical fouls count towards total fouls? If so Jax has 5 fouls which means Timme is gonna finish out the game after he inevitably fouls out.

Why not use the bench right now JJ, The Lakers cannot hit the side of a barn tonight so let Smith and Knecht and Timme come in and close the gap with some three point shooting?

LeBron has 8 points and 8 assists... Nobody is scoring well tonight except, duh duh duh duh, Ayton... with 19 through 2.5 quarters.

JJ finally waves the white flag with 7 minutes to go. Wow great finish and 1 by Thiero! Now Knect cuts it to 17 after drilling that triple. Timeout Rockets!

here it is, the bench, hittin' threes and making plays and feeling good about being able to contribute.

And... it's over as Houston goes on a run to push it back to 25. Kleber and Okogi getting into it after Maxi delivers a hard pick.

Wow Thiero is ejected along with Holiday for some nothing burger. Refs being really sensitive this game.

Tension flaring after the game as players from both teams pointing at each other. Should be a fun, physical game 4.

Dalton had 8 point in a little more than 6 minutes... He has been less than inspired during the season but that too is likely an emotional issue that the management is clearly not dealing with. What a waste of a resource allowing him to vanish on the end of the bench.

Twenty four turn overs by the Lakers? They deserve to lose.

JJ has to learn when his players are too tired to play and not hesitate on benching who ever is messing up. LeBron should have sat down tonight. He scored on the first quarter and then he was just walking around. Did not score until the fourth. I still say JJ needs to play Knecht, he has been shooting really with a lot of accuracy lately. He scored eight points on four attempts. But I did notice Bronny or Smith hardly pass the ball to him, They would rather play one on one only to miss or turn the ball over.

Lakers looked really bad tonight.

I agree 100%. I call it stupidity in the part of the coaches when they can not see that this guy is a pure shooter and somebody will pick him up during the summer.

I did not think Ayton should have gotten a double tech either. Sure he brushed the chin of the Segun, but it was not intentional. It should have been no more then a tech one.

That was odd how it became a flagrant 2. It didn't look like Ayton had bad intentions. Probably was a flagrant 1. BUT- I've seen countless plays where players get called for the foul when THEIR FACE gets hit harder than that by the elbow. You get knocked in the face and you get assessed foul.