by Rod Pearson
Wednesday, Apr 22, 2026
Game Time: 8:00 pm ET, Friday, April 24, 2026
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Lakers +9.5, Rockets -9.5; Over/Under: 205.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Lakers +9.5, Rockets -9.5; Over/Under: 205.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Lakers +9.5, Rockets -9.5; Over/Under: 205.5 points
Season Record
Los Angeles Lakers: 53-29 (1st place, Pacific Division)
Houston Rockets: 52-30 (2nd place, Southwest Division)
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Recent Form
Los Angeles Lakers: 7-3 last 10
Houston Rockets: 7-3 last 10
Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets Preview and Analysis
The Lakers are entering the playoffs with a 53-29 record overall this season and they were 25-16 in their road games where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 5 game winning streak with wins coming against the Golden State Warriors, the Phoenix Suns, the Utah Jazz, and the Houston Rockets twice in a row. LeBron James led the team in points in that game with 28 while Marcus Smart was next on the team with 25 points. LeBron James and Marcus Smart each led the team in assists in that game with 7 while LeBron James led the team in rebounds with 8. They were 45.8% from the field, 46.4% from 3-point range, and 78.6% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 116.3 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 114.6 PPG against them. The Lakers have an ATS record of 48-36 this season and their O/U record is 41-43.
The Rockets are entering the playoffs with a 52-30 record overall this season and they were 30-11 in their home games where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 2 game losing streak with losses coming against the Los Angeles Lakers twice in a row. Kevin Durant led the team in points in that game with 23 while Alperen Şengün was next on the team with 20 points. Amen Thompson led the team in assists in that game with 9 while Alperen Şengün led the team in rebounds with 11. They were 40.4% from the field, 24.1% from 3-point range, and 78.9% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 115.2 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 110 PPG against them. The Rockets have an ATS record of 36-48 this season and their O/U record is 39-44-1.
Lakers vs Rockets Prediction
The current betting odds have the Rockets listed as a 9.5 point underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Rockets have looked good in their games this season with their 52-30 record overall which had them in the top half of the West. They have looked great on their home court too with their 30-11 home record this season. Meanwhile, the Lakers have looked good in their games this season with their 53-29 record overall which had them in the top half of the West. They have been a good road team too with their 25-16 road record this year. This is game 3 of a 7-game series between the 4 seeded Lakers and the 5 seeded Rockets in the West for the 1st round of the NBA playoffs. The Lakers are entering this game with a 2-0 series lead after winning game 2 by a score of 101-94. The Lakers were the underdog in both home games to start this series despite being the higher seeded team. They have been missing 2 of their best players in the playoffs with Doncic and Reaves both injured, but they still took both games at home to open up this series and have been rolling lately with their 7-3 record in their last 10 games. The Lakers were able to hold serve in those games, but the Rockets have also had a lot more trouble in their road games this year. They are 30-11 on their home court though and have looked like a completely different team in home games. Now the Rockets are back at home with their backs against the wall as they try to avoid going down 3-0 in this series. The Rockets are going to be desperate to win this game and they are going to throw everything they have against a banged up Lakers team. Kevin Durant also missed the 1st game of this series and didn't look great coming back in game 2, but he will have a better night at home and lead his team to a win to cut this series lead in half. The best way to place a bet here is on the Rockets to cover the spread in this game.
Lakers Rockets Prediction: Our NBA Pick for Friday, April 24, 2026 (8:00 pm ET start time) is Rockets 113 Lakers 102.
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NBA Betting Trends
Los Angeles Lakers: 13-6 ATS against Southwest division opponents. 9-5 ATS after successfully covering the spread in 3 or more consecutive games. 25-16 ATS after playing a home game. 35-24 UNDER versus good shooting teams - making 46% of their shots or more.
Houston Rockets: 14-23 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points. 5-11 ATS off an upset loss as a road favorite. 23-34 ATS versus good shooting teams - making 46% of their shots or more. 15-2 UNDER when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 70%).
Key Injuries
Los Angeles Lakers: J. LaRavia (PF) Day To Day - Leg. L. Doncic (PG) Out - Hamstring. A. Reaves (SG) Out - Oblique.
Houston Rockets: S. Adams (C) Out For Season - Ankle. F. VanVleet (PG) Out For Season - ACL.
Notable Quotes
“They started doubling me from possession one. I’ve got to do better and not put my teammates in bad positions when I’m swinging the ball. We're just not making shots, to be honest. We're not shooting the ball well. We're missing a lot of layups. I just think that's the difference in the game. They're making shots. Smart was the guy that knocked down shots for them today. Kennard, too.” - Kevin Durant after their loss against the LA Lakers in the 2nd game of this series on Tuesday.
“We executed the game plan offensively and defensively, shored up some of our mistakes from Game 1, and just got into a dogfight. When we have two big guns out like we have, we've all got to pick up our play, and that's all it's about. We're all just trying to make contributions on offense and seize the opportunity.” - LeBron James after their win against the Rockets in game 2 of this series on Tuesday.
Starting Lineups
Los Angeles Lakers
PG Luke Kennard
SG Marcus Smart
SF Rui Hachimura
PF LeBron James
C Deandre Ayton
Houston Rockets
PG Amen Thompson
SG Josh Okogie
SF Kevin Durant
PF Jabari Smith Jr.
C Alperen Sengun
Statistical Leaders
Los Angeles Lakers
PPG: Luka Doncic (33.5)
APG: Luka Doncic (8.3)
Reb/G: Deandre Ayton (8)
Houston Rockets
PPG: Kevin Durant (26)
APG: Alperen Sengun (6.2)
Reb/G: Alperen Sengun (8.9)
Coaches:
Los Angeles Lakers: JJ Redick (2nd season)
Houston Rockets: Ime Udoka (3rd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
