Lakers Make Winning Start As Nba Play-offs Begin

The Los Angeles Lakers shrugged disconnected their wounded worries to make a winning commencement to nan NBA play-offs.

The 18-time champions were without cardinal players Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Maxi Kleber but 41-year-old LeBron James produced different good show successful a 107-98 triumph complete nan Houston Rockets.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks were nan different winners connected time 1 of nan play-offs, while nan Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic won nan play-in tourney to book their places.

James controlled nan level while racking up 19 points, 13 assists and 8 rebounds against a Houston broadside who mislaid cardinal man Kevin Durant to wounded conscionable earlier play started.

"It's conscionable our play-off mentality," Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

"You can't interest astir who's successful aliases retired of nan line-up. It's our gameplan. It's our standards. It's really we play, and we've built towards that.

"I thought our guys conscionable responded good and met nan moment. That's nan biggest thing. You've sewage to meet nan infinitesimal successful each game, and we were capable to do that."

Luke Kennard continued to measurement up arsenic a starter pinch a profession play-off precocious 27 points arsenic nan Lakers took nan opening crippled successful nan best-of-seven series.

Durant, 37, has a bruised knee and could return for crippled 2 connected Tuesday night.

Defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder statesman their run connected Sunday nighttime against nan Suns.