LOS ANGELES — Luke Kennard scored a career playoff-high 27 points, LeBron James had 19 points and 13 assists, and the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers capitalized on Kevin Durant’s injury absence for a 107-98 victory over the Houston Rockets in the opener of their first-round playoff series on Saturday night.
Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the fourth-seeded Lakers, who pulled off an impressive win without their top two scorers.
Both teams played the opener without their most important player. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have been out indefinitely with injuries since April 2, while Durant was a late scratch with a bruised right knee.
Los Angeles thrived by hitting 60.6% of its shots while holding the Rockets to 37.6% shooting with pesky defense. That disparity allowed the Lakers to win despite attempting just 66 shots — the fewest in an NBA game in the past three seasons — and giving up 21 offensive rebounds.
“That’s what it has to be — a collective group,” the 41-year-old James said after beginning his 19th NBA postseason. “When you’re missing so much firepower like we are right now with AR and Luka being out, we all have to do our job and maybe have to do a little bit more, protect one another offensively and defensively, and I think we did that tonight.”
Alperen Sengun scored 19 points and Jabari Smith Jr. had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Rockets. Amen Thompson added 17 points.
Game 2 is Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
The Lakers acquired Kennard from Atlanta in early February, and the NBA’s most accurate 3-point shooter became a key reserve before he seized a major role over the past two weeks. He hit four 3-pointers in Game 1 while making nine of his first 12 shots.
Durant banged knees with a teammate in practice Wednesday. Reed Sheppard five 3-pointers while scoring 17 points, but the Rockets struggled to score consistently.
“We won a lot of areas, but just shot poorly,” Houston coach Ime Udoka said. “That’s going to be tough to beat, but there are some things we left on the table, opportunities missed.”
Los Angeles also got a boost from Marcus Smart, who had 15 points and eight assists with four 3-pointers. Smart said before the series that success would come down to “willpower” — and the Lakers clearly had more for starters.
Bronny James began the second quarter playing alongside his famous father in the first significant playoff minutes of the 21-year-old’s career.
NEW YORK — Not only did Jalen Brunson take one below the belt, he also got criticized on top of it.
Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum’s leg kicked out during a jumpshot Saturday, April 18, striking Brunson in the groin, which eventually resulted in a technical foul, upon review. McCollum believes the review happened because Brunson embellished it after the fact.
“I shot a jumper and Jalen thought we were at a Broadway show,” McCollum told reporters after the Knicks’ 113-102 victory Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. “He acted it out until they reviewed it. It's a normal jump shot, nothing there. Unnecessary and I look forward to getting my ($2,000) back.”
Technical fouls in the NBA trigger small fines. McCollum’s comments indicate that he thinks the call will be rescinded, though, given that it was assessed upon a review, he may eventually be disappointed.
The play came early in the second half, 20 seconds into the third quarter. McCollum was trying to evade Brunson, when he hopped backwards to create space for a jumper. Because he lifted his pivot foot, he was called for a travel, but as McCollum shot the ball, he kicked out his lead leg.
Brunson leapt in the air to contest the shot, but McCollum’s foot struck Brunson in the groin, sending him to the court, where he lay for several moments, writhing in apparent pain.
CJ McCollum is hit with a technical foul for striking Jalen Brunson in the groin. Brunson takes a long moment to recover (with replays).
Brunson’s teammates appealed to officials, while Brunson took several moments to collect himself. Eventually, crew chief John Goble reviewed the play for a hostile act, and a technical foul was assessed to McCollum, leading to a free throw.
Because Brunson was still recovering from the play, Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns took and made the technical free throw.
When asked after the game for his take on the play, Brunson downplayed it.
“It wasn’t purposeful so we move forward,” Brunson told reporters after the game.
Game 2 is scheduled for Monday, April 20, at Madison Square Garden.
Apr 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams (32) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
What a game that was for the Guardians. Gavin Williams is blossoming into everything we hoped he could be. He was excellent tonight, as he has been all season. 7 innings, 3 hits, one run, and 11 big strikeouts to lower his ERA to 2.12 on the season. Oh, and he also leads all of MLB in strikeouts. He was in full control tonight with the only mistake being a hanging curveball to Leody Taveras in the top of the 4th.
It is also noteworthy that Cade Smith came in and got the save, and he looked like Cade Smith. That was the best we have seen him look all season by far.
As for the offense, we only had three hits, but they sure were big ones. Brayan Rocchio’s three run HR in the bottom of the 5th was personally one of the most exciting moments of the season for me thus far. The development we have seen from him since the all star break last year has been incredible. Bo Naylor finally hit his first HR on the season. He has had some brutal luck this year and it was awesome to see him finally get some good results for his process.
Another Saturday game, another Zac Gallen start, another swirling bit of anxiety in the gullet as we waited to see which Zac we were going to get today. I remember the heyday of Gallen’s good times, when he really was the unquestioned ace of the rotation, rather than simply being the guy who happens to pitch for us on Opening Day. I’ve mostly gotten over the animosity I’ve developed for him over the last couple of seasons, but I still feel kinda queasy when I see that I’ve pulled a Gallen start for a Saturday recap. Today, he was starting opposite grizzled veteran (and old friend for a brief moment at the very start of his career) Max Scherzer, who entered today with an ERA above 9, while Zac was enjoying a 3.60 ERA coming into this start.
It didn’t look great, honestly, in the top of the first. Gallen was being efficient—he got through the first four batters with only seven pitches thrown—but he was very efficiently throwing meatballs in the middle of the strike zone, which meant that three of the first four Blue Jays to come to the plate reached on singles into the outfield. The third single drove in Toronto leadoff hitter Nathan Lukes, putting us in an early hole. Thankfully, however, after that third single Zac actually seemed to buckle down and start to, you know, pitch. The results were much better after that, as he struck out the next two batters to end the frame. 1-0 Toronto
It turned out not to be the end of the world, though, because we got the run right back in the bottom of the first, thanks to a one-out Corbin Carroll walk that he capitalized on by promptly stealing second base on Scherzer’s first pitch to Geraldo Perdomo, and then Perdomo lining a single to center on the next pitch he saw to drive home Corbin. Lourdes Gurriel, Jr., back in the lineup for the first time since September 1 of last year, hung a pretty decent 7-pitch at bat on Scherzer before popping out to first, and Adrian Del Castillo saw another seven pitches before grounding out to first. But things were all tied up again. 1-1 TIE
After that, the game got kinda quite for the next few innings. Gallen pitched around traffic in each inning, giving up singles in the second, third, and fourth, and then a double in the fifth, but despite that he was quite effective, putting up zeroes and wrapping up the fifth with only 66 pitches thrown. Meanwhile, we were doing absolutely nothing against Scherzer, sitting down in order in the second, third, and fourth innings, while only making Shcerzer throw 31 pitches total to get through those three innings. Scherzer’s probably going to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot once he retires, but the dude is old and not all that at this stage of his career, but our hitters were making him look like he was back in his Cy Young heyday. It was disappointing, to say the least.
Thankfully, our young blood got things going again in the bottom of the fifth, as Jose Fernandez lined a single to left to lead off the inning. Nolan Arenado grounded out to short, but Fernandez alertly took second to keep from being doubled off, and Ildemaro Vargas popped out to first for the second out of the inning. Alek Thomas came to the plate, and promptly rolled over on the first pitch he saw, squibbing a grounder just over the first base bag that rolled to the fence about halfway up the first base line and ended up going as an RBI double:
Ketel Marte continued his fruitless night at the plate with a first-pitch pop-out to shallow center, but we had a lead now. 2-1 D-BACKS
Sadly, however, Gallen and what feels like an increasingly frequent Perdomo miscue led to us giving the run right back in the top of the sixth. Toronto DH Eloy Jimenez singled with one out in the sixth, but Gallen immediately induced what appeared to be a 3-6-1 double play to end the inning. But no. Toronto challenged the out call at second, and the call was overturned because Perdomo’s foot came off the base before the ball was in his glove, so after heading back to the dugout he had to come back to the mound. As folks noted in the Gameday Thread, Zac often responds badly when the fielders behind him blow a play, and that was the case here, as he gave up a single that scored Jimenez and earned Gallen the hook. Ryan Thomspon came on and recorded the third out on three pitches, but our short-lived one-run lead was no more. 2-2 TIE
Nothing much happened for a little while after that—Gerry TOONBLANned his way into an out in the bottom of the sixth after singling to right and trying to stretch it to a double. Ryan Thompson and Jose Morillo put up a zero for us in the top of the seventh, we sat down in order against the Blue Jays bullpen in the bottom of the seventh, Morillo pitched around a one-out single in the top of the eighth to put up another zero for the bullpen.
Cue the bottom of the eighth. Jeff Hoffman, who I guess is supposed to be the Blue Jays’ closer—Maybe? Sometimes? He’s had five save opportunities so far this year, and have converted two of them, and he came on for the eighth, so who knows?—gave up a ground ball single to Ildemaro Vargas, then another ground ball single to Alek Thomas, and then he walked Ketel Marte to load the bases with no outs. Corbin Carroll came to the plate, swung at the first pitch he saw, laid off the next three to bring the count to 3-1, and finally got a meatball right down the middle that he did not miss:
Perdomo, Gurriel, and Del Castillo then made three quick outs, but really, who cares? 6-2 D-BACKS
Because it wasn’t a save situation anymore, Torey Lovullo brought Kevin Ginkel out to pitch the top of the ninth, and despite a two-out single surrendered to Nathan Lukes, he did his job and put up the final zero. Yay.
Killer of Birds: Alek Thomas (4 AB, 2 H, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B, +21% WPA) Harrassers of Birds: Juan Morillo (+15% WPA), Corbin Carroll (+11% WPA), Ryan Thompson (+10% WPA), Geraldo Perdomo (+10% WPA) The Bird Whisperer: Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. (4 AB, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, -14% WPA)
We had a nice, vibrant, very well-attended Gameday Thread tonight, with 307 comments at time of writing. The leading comment by popular acclaim belonged to chwalter, but it wasn’t game-relevant, sadly, so I’m giving this one to Snacks&DBacks, who posted the following right before Carroll’s big swing (plus an assist from Smurf1000, which I’m including because why not?):
And with that, it’s on to not the rubber match, but our chance to secure our second sweep of the season, as well as our second sweep against an AL team that went deep in the playoffs last year while we and our Diamondbacks were sitting at home watching them on TV from our respective couches. Ryne Nelson takes the mound for us, Kevin Gausman goes for the Jays. Gausman seems to be the sole competent starting pitcher Toronto has going for them so far this year, so it may not be easy to secure the sweep. But bring your brooms anyway, and cheer us on and help keep TheRealRamona company as she gears up for her first guest recap of the 2026 season! First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm AZ time. Hope you can join us!
As always, thanks so much for reading, and as always, go Diamondbacks!
LOS ANGELES — Luke Kennard scored a career playoff-high 27 points, LeBron James had 19 points and 13 assists, and the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers capitalized on Kevin Durant’s injury absence for a 107-98 victory over the Houston Rockets in the opener of their first-round playoff series on Saturday night.
Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the fourth-seeded Lakers, who pulled off an impressive win without their top two scorers.
Both teams played the opener without their most important player. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have been out indefinitely with injuries since April 2, while Durant was a late scratch with a bruised right knee.
Los Angeles thrived by hitting 60.6% of its shots while holding the Rockets to 37.6% shooting with pesky defense.
Luke Kennard (10) and center Deandre Ayton (5) celebrate during the second half of the Lakers’ 107-98 Game 1 win over the Rockets on April 18, 2026 in Los Angeles. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
That disparity allowed the Lakers to win despite attempting just 66 shots — the fewest in an NBA game in the past three seasons — and giving up 21 offensive rebounds.
“That’s what it has to be — a collective group,” the 41-year-old James said after beginning his 19th NBA postseason. “When you’re missing so much firepower like we are right now with AR and Luka being out, we all have to do our job and maybe have to do a little bit more, protect one another offensively and defensively, and I think we did that tonight.”
Alperen Sengun scored 19 points and Jabari Smith Jr. had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Rockets. Amen Thompson added 17 points.
Game 2 is Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
The Lakers acquired Kennard from Atlanta in early February, and the NBA’s most accurate 3-point shooter became a key reserve before he seized a major role over the past two weeks. He hit four 3-pointers in Game 1 while making nine of his first 12 shots.
LeBron James, who had 19 points and 13 assists, drives past Josh Okogie during the first half of the Lakers’ Game 1 win over the Rockets Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Durant banged knees with a teammate in practice Wednesday. Reed Sheppard five 3-pointers while scoring 17 points, but the Rockets struggled to score consistently.
“We won a lot of areas, but just shot poorly,” Houston coach Ime Udoka said. “That’s going to be tough to beat, but there are some things we left on the table, opportunities missed.”
Los Angeles also got a boost from Marcus Smart, who had 15 points and eight assists with four 3-pointers. Smart said before the series that success would come down to “willpower” — and the Lakers clearly had more for starters.
Bronny James began the second quarter playing alongside his famous father in the first significant playoff minutes of the 21-year-old’s career.
It was the key to this 113-102 victory, the Knicks ramping up their defensive intensity and shutting down Atlanta after halftime.
“We just didn’t stop on plays,” Miles McBride said. “I feel like they were getting out and they were winning the space battle, getting open and getting to their spots. I feel like in the second half we really cut that off. We made catches difficult, and we got to loose balls.”
Jalen Johnson shoots over Landry Shamet during the third quarter of the Knicks’ 113-102 Game 1 win over the Hawks on April 18, 2026 at the Garden. Jason Szenes / New York Post
The Hawks managed just 47 points over the final 24 minutes, and a good chunk of that came after the game had been well decided in the final minutes of the final stanza.
The Hawks were held to 19 points in the third quarter as the Knicks took command.
They were forced into difficult shots late in the shot clock, and Atlanta went cold from 3. After shooting 8-for-16 from distance in the first half, they went 6-for-21 the rest of the way.
“Their small-small pick-and-roll is a problem. And our guys did a pretty good job of defending that the right way in the second half,” coach Mike Brown said. “It kinda got away from us early in the game, and they got some open looks from it, but our level of physicality without fouling was really good in the second half, as well as our communication with their small-small pick-and-roll.”
The Knicks talked a lot after the win about needing to be the more physical team for the entirety of this series, and having to be better on the glass.
Karl-Anthony Towns defends against CJ McCollum during the third quarter of the Knicks’ Game 1 win over the Hawks. Jason Szenes / New York Post
They outrebounded the Hawks by five but were only plus-two in the paint (44-42).
Nickeil Alexander-Walker was held to 17 points on 6-for-17 shooting. Jalen Johnson scored 23 points but shot 8-for-19. The Knicks turned them into inefficient scorers.
The key is to consistently defend like they did in the second half and turn it into a habit.
“Every single night,” McBride, a team-best plus-12, said. “It’s nonnegotiable; we have to bring it every single night and be locked in.”
It’s a high-stakes 4-pack on Sunday, with four NHL Stanley Cup Playoff series kicking off, starting in Colorado and ending in Las Vegas.
What better place to start my NHL player props than the league’s goal-scoring leader, Nathan MacKinnon?
Read below for my free NHL picks on Sunday, April 19.
Best NHL player prop bets today
Player
MacKinnon to score
-125
Caufield Over 0.5 assists
+140
Pastrnak to score
+170
img alt="Get a first bet encore up to $800 with the BET99 promo code COVERSNHL" width="100%" loading="lazy" src="https://img.covers.com/promo-articles/bet99nhlcreative2526.jpeg"Get a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL. (not available in Ontario)
Our best NHL player props for Sunday, April 19
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Prop #1: Nathan MacKinnon to score
-125 at BET99
The Colorado Avalanche star sniper blistered the league for 53 goals, the second time in three years he’s gone for 50+.
Now Nathan MacKinnon draws the Kings, a team he’s lit up for 10 goals and 27 points in the last 15 games.
He’s also tallied in three straight Game 1’s in the postseason.
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: TNT, truTV
Prop #2: Cole Caufield Over 0.5 assists
+140 at BET99
I’m taking Cole Caufield to pick up a helper here as it’s got just a little bit more juice than lighting the lamp.
The NHL’s no. 2 goal scorer behind MacKinnon this season has been doing damage at Tampa Bay, picking up points in four of his last five games there, with two goals and three assists.
Time: 5:45 p.m. ET
Where to watch: TNT, truTV
Prop #3: David Pastrnak to score
+170 at BET99
Let’s wrap up with Boston’s top scorer, who has absolutely feasted on the Sabres, picking up points in 15 of his last 16 games.
This might be just the matchup David Pastrnak needs. He hasn’t scored a goal in 10 straight, but he’s tallied in three straight games against Buffalo, and I’m banking on him making it four.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after making a three point shot during the second half of Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on April 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The deck was stacked against the Lakers heading into the playoffs, but what awaited them was a tower of cards ready to topple over in the Rockets.
Kevin Durant being a surprise scratch pregame tilted the tower to the brink of falling and the purple and gold made it a mission to finish the job throughout Game 1. It wasn’t a perfect game and there’s room for improvement on both ends, but LA ultimately came out with a win that ended up being fairly comfortable in the second half.
It’s a great start to the series with tons of encouraging signs for the Lakers. Let’s dive into some of the biggest takeaways from the victory.
A team effort
Coming into the series, the expectation was that LeBron James would need to have a big scoring night for the Lakers to have a real chance. While Durant’s absence alleviated some of that scoring burden, LeBron was certainly not the biggest scoring threat for the Lakers.
That’s not to say he wasn’t fantastic on the night. He had eight assists in the first quarter to set the tone from the jump and still finished with 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds. However, all five starters had at least 14 points and each had moments.
No one was bigger offensively than Luke Kennard, who was perfect from three and scored a playoff career-high 27 points. Back-to-back threes in the fourth quarter from Kennard put the Lakers up 16 and allowed them a cushion as they closed out the game.
Deandre Ayton looked like his early-season self and poured in 19 points, including icing the game with an and-one in the final minutes. Rui Hachimura was an efficient 6-10 from the field and hit numerous timely shots. And Marcus Smart mixed in some good in his chaotic night, scoring 15 points with eight assists.
The Lakers shot an astounding 60.6% from the field and 52.6% from three. They nearly shot better from the field than from the free throw line, but that’s a topic for another time.
They jumped ahead early with a fast start in the first quarter. After turning the ball over on the first possession, they had 13 assists before they committed another turnover. While they came in bunches later, LA set the tone from the start as a team, getting sustainable, high quality shots.
Stingy defense
Offense is always going to get the headlines, but the Lakers’ defense was fantastic in this one. Similar to the offense, it was also a team effort.
The Lakers held Houston to 37.6% shooting overall. They hit just 11 of their 33 attempts from range. They committed 13 turnovers and never found any rhythm offensively. The Lakers did a great job clogging the paint and forcing Houston to hit shots from outside.
The Rockets shot 22-53 in the paint, a conversion rate LA will absolutely live with. After some threes early in the game, they locked down Reed Sheppard, who went 6-20 from the field and 5-14 from the three. Amen Thompson (7-18), Alperen Şengün (6-19) and Jabari Smith Jr. (5-14) all had poor nights from the field.
The Lakers have been good defensively for some time now, but they showed it on the biggest stage yet. It wasn’t perfect, but playoff games rarely are. But, importantly, it was more than enough to give them a chance to win.
After keeping things under control for much of the first half, offensive rebounding became an issue for LA in the second half. Houston finished with 21 offensive rebounds and 23 second-chance points. The Rockets stayed in the game in the second half because of their ability to create second and even third chances.
Similarly, turnovers were a problem for the Lakers. They finished with 18 giveaways that Houston turned into 24 points. While admittedly some crude math, nearly half of Houston’s scoring came from those two areas.
It was the nature of the turnovers that were confounding, too. On multiple occasions, the Lakers pushed in transition when they didn’t have numbers and turned the ball over. A number of turnovers were unforced, whether errant passes or passes to teammates who weren’t ready or looking.
The only time LA trailed after the opening minutes came after a disastrous close to the second quarter that included some very untimely turnovers. That the Lakers were able to overcome not just that stretch but generally not taking care of the two biggest areas of emphasis and still win handily should be encouraging about how this team has room to improve even after a win.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 17: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates a 9-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies with Austin Riley #27 at Citizens Bank Park on April 17, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves continue to just cruise this season, in a refreshing departure from last season. Chris Sale had a really nice outing against the Phillies’ lineup on Saturday, backed up by Dylan Lee and Robert Suarez, while the offense got enough done to win the game. That makes for the sixth series win this season, as the Braves have still not lost a series in 2026. Atlanta is 14-7, 5 games clear in the division lead, and has the best run differential in baseball. That is nothing short of a fantastic start, especially given all of the talent Atlanta has on the IL, and how much of that talent could be returning in the coming months.
So much of the dialogue leading into Saturday was about how the Lakers would withstand being without Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (left oblique strain) during their playoff series against the Rockets.
But within 24 hours, the dynamic shifted, with Rockets star Kevin Durant popping up on the injury report because of a right knee contusion he suffered during practice earlier in the week.
And the Lakers were the ones who took advantage of their opponent missing their leading scorer, beating the Rockets 107-98 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round series on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena.
“We were really poised as a team,” coach JJ Redick said. “We had a great next-play mentality. Wasn’t a perfect game. None of these games are gonna be perfect. Got contributions from a lot of people in a lot of different ways, and made enough winning plays, despite the turnovers and the offensive rebounds.”
So much of the dialogue leading into Saturday was about how the Lakers would withstand being without Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (left oblique strain) during their playoff series against the Rockets. NBAE via Getty ImagesAnd the Lakers were the ones who took advantage of their opponent missing their leading scorer, beating the Rockets 107-98 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round series on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena. NBAE via Getty ImagesThey turned the ball over 20 times, helping the Rockets stay in the game with 24 points off those giveaways. NBAE via Getty Images
Offense didn’t come easily for the Lakers, either.
They turned the ball over 20 times, helping the Rockets stay in the game with 24 points off those giveaways.
But the Lakers’ intentionality with their offense led to 60.6% shooting from the field (40 of 66) and 52.6% shooting from beyond the 3-point arc (10 of 19).
“We did a good job,” Redick said. “The guys that were handling versus pressure, overall, did a nice job of getting us organized, and we ran a lot of the stuff we wanted to run, and we got a lot of good stuff. When we did shoot the ball, we were efficient. We missed some free throws. But again, it’s just this is going to be, can we take care of the ball. Over the course of seven games, can we take care of the ball and can we limit their offensive rebounds?”
Luke Kennard led the way with 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting, making all five of his 3s. LeBron James finished with 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds.
All five Lakers starters scored at least 10 points.
“It has to be that way,” James said. “It has to be a collective group. When you’re missing so much firepower, like we are right now with AR and Luka being out, we all have to pitch in. We all have to do our job. And even do a little bit more. Protect one another offensively and defensively and I think we did that.”
LeBron James finished with 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds. NBAE via Getty Images
Deandre Ayton had a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Marcus Smart had 15 points and eight assists and Rui Hahcimura scored 14 points
The Lakers won despite the Rockets grabbing 21 offensive rebounds for 23 second-chance points, outscoring them in the paint (44-40) and scoring 17 more points off turnovers.
Alperen Sengun had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Amen Thompson finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
What it means
The Lakers are up 1-0 in a playoff series for the first time since playing the Warriors in the 2023 Western Conference semifinals (second round).
They haven’t been up 2-0 in a series since winning the 2020 NBA Finals against the Heat.
Deandre Ayton had a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Marcus Smart had 15 points and eight assists and Rui Hahcimura scored 14 points NBAE via Getty Images
Turning point
When Jake LaRavia drew an off-ball foul on Tari Eason at the five-minute mark of the third quarter.
The foul was the Rockets’ fifth for the quarter, putting the Lakers in the bonus for the remainder of the third.
The Lakers shot 10 of 12 from the line from that point.
This included Kennard splitting a pair of free throws after technical fouls on Rockets wing Jae’Sean Tate and coach Ime Udoka.
The Lakers shot 11 of 15 on free throws in the third, helping them win the quarter 25-18.
This included Kennard splitting a pair of free throws after technical fouls on Rockets wing Jae’Sean Tate and coach Ime Udoka. NBAE via Getty Images
MVP: Luke Kennard
James set the tone early with his playmaking, dishing out eight first-quarter assists and 10 assists in the first half, which tied a playoff career high for his most assists in a half.
But it was Kennard who provided the steady dose of scoring in a game that didn’t feature a lot of it for either team.
Kennard’s scoring total set a playoff career high, surpassing the previous career high of 21 points he scored on April 14, 2019, while with the Pistons.
“I just liked that he was aggressive shooting 3s,” Redick said. “He played a fantastic basketball gam. He just played really aggressive and did a nice job. I don’t know what our overall numbers were, but we came in at halftime and we had one of our highest paint touch rates in the entire season. And his ability to just kind of get to the next thing and turn the corner on off ball stuff and touch the paint for us, and it just, there’s a snowball effect to that. He played a really good game.”
That was the Rockets’ shooting percentage, highlighting how stifling the Lakers’ defense was. NBAE via Getty Images
Stat of the game: 37.6%
That was the Rockets’ shooting percentage, highlighting how stifling the Lakers’ defense was.
It was the lowest shooting percentage the Lakers allowed in a playoff game since April 28, 2023, against the Grizzlies, according to Stathead.
“I know they took free throws, but we did a good job of contesting those six- to eight- foot shots without fouling, using our length,” Redick said. “Getting a contest is super important.”
Up next
Game 2 of the Lakers-Rockets playoff series will tip off at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.
Durant’s status for Game 2 wasn’t known as of Saturday evening.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 18: Troy Johnston #20 of the Colorado Rockies hits a single in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on April 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Whether it was a snowy Friday giving way to a sunny Saturday or the playoff vibes from the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche spilling over, the Mile High Magic was palpable across the city today.
For the cherry on top of a wonderful sports day in Denver, the Colorado Rockies got the best of the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 4-3 rollercoaster of a win.
Runs early and often
It was a good night if you bet YRFI.
Starting pitchers Ryan Feltner and Emmet Sheehan brought a pair of high ERAs into their matchup today (7.30 and 6.60, respectively). That showed as the scoreboard was lit up immediately in the first inning.
That’s sadly not out of character for the Rockies, who have given up 161 runs in the first inning since the start of last season — the most in MLB.
To start off the evening, Shohei Ohtani reached first base after a throwing error by Troy Johnston on the first pitch. Kyle Tucker followed immediately with a home run on the second pitch of the game, giving the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead.
The Rockies responded in the bottom of the inning. Mickey Moniak doubled to center and was brought home with a line-drive single from TJ Rumfield to bring the game to 2-1.
The Dodgers and Rockies would notch one more run each in the second inning. L.A.’s came on a Dalton Rushing homer knocked right above the out-of-town scoreboard in right on a 78 MPH curveball from Feltner. The Rockies’ run came after Johnston put himself in scoring position with a line-drive single, a stolen base, and a move to third on a Brenton Doyle ground out. Johnston ultimately came home on a Kyle Karros sacrifice fly to make it 3-2 Trolley Dodgers.
Pitchers dueling
That “early and often” hot start dried up pretty quickly. Despite some scattered chances, the offensive action calmed down and yielded scoreless third, fourth, and fifth innings as both pitchers found their rhythm.
After walking Freddie Freeman in the top of the third, Feltner sat down eight straight batters. Among those eight, Feltner struck out Teoscar Hernández, Alex Freeland, and Andy Pages. Feltner looked in command of his four-seam fastball in particular across those punch outs. He also got a fly out to left from Ohtani, dropping Ohtani to 1-10 against Feltner across their last encounters.
Sheehan walked a couple of baserunners and gave up a double in the fourth inning, but otherwise looked sharp. He gathered strikeouts against Hunter Goodman, Brenton Doyle, and Edouard Julien across those three innings.
Feltner’s streak came to an end on a Freeman triple in the top of the sixth. Lucky for him, Karros would save a run with an incredible diving grab to stop a ball driven down the third base line, throwing out Hernández at first.
Following that, Brennan Bernardino came in to relieve Feltner with two outs and Freeman on third. Feltner finished his day with five strikeouts, five hits, and three runs surrendered via two home runs.
The Rockies got rolling
Despite a 1-2-3 fifth inning from Sheehan, the Dodgers pulled him at 77 pitches, swapping in Will Klein. That did not go well.
The Rockies immediately pounced with a Goodman double to deep center. Up next, Ezequiel Tovar singled with a ball banked off of Klein over to Freeman, with Tovi winning the foot race to first. Johnston brought those two in with a double to center for his team-leading 10th RBI, giving the Rockies their first glorious lead over the Dodgers in what felt like an eternity.
Klein would get the next three batters out to keep Johnston at second and to limit the damage at 4-3 Rockies.
Catching a crazy eighth
The top of the eighth inning got a little dicey for the Rockies, with much of the commotion centered around Goodman behind the dish.
Jaden Hill replaced Bernardino to kick off the inning with the Dodgers back at the top of the order. Hill worked to an 0-2 count against Ohtani. In an at-bat that looked like it might end in another Ohtani out, Goodman was called for catcher interference as hit glove bumped Ohtani’s swing, putting the batter on first.
Tucker singled next, putting two men on with no outs. Just when things felt like they were about to get worse, Goodman redeemed himself with a wonderful ABS challenge, overturning a ball and sitting Pages down on strikes.
Freeman flied out to center next, moving Ohtani and Tucker up a base. In a tense at-bat for Hernández, the Rockies would challenge a pitch again, but this time unsuccessfully. Hernández walked to load the bases.
Hill responded extremely well to cap off a nice relief pitching performance, throwing two strikes to Max Muncy before getting him to ground out on a changeup to end the (very stressful) inning.
No insurance needed
The Rockies wouldn’t get any insurance runs in the bottom of the eight, but luckily they wouldn’t need them (although that would have reduced some ninth inning stress).
Victor Vodnik came in to close out the ninth, trying for his third save of the season. He sat Rushing and Hyeseong Kim out quickly. With two outs, Will Smith singled on a nice hit to second that made for a just-difficult-enough throw for Julien.
Santiago Espinal came in to pinch run and Ohtani got his first hit of the night to move the runner to second. With the game on the line, the energy in Coors felt exciting in a way it hasn’t felt too often is recent years. Tucker sent a routine flyball to left field, and Vodnik got his save.
There was a lot to be proud of for the Rockies today. Namely, the Rockies looked resilient.
Feltner settled down after a shaky start. The bullpen was flawless in relief. Hits and baserunners came when they were needed most. Scoring chances were converted. Key defensive plays swung the game in Colorado’s favor.
It had been a rough week in the wake of a sweep at the hands of the San Diego Padres and a series loss to the Houston Astros. After a 7-1 loss last night, it felt like an uphill battle to steal even one from Los Angeles.
The Dodgers were 10-0 against the National League this season. Emphasis: were. Your Colorado Rockies just served up a tally mark in the L column.
The Rockies are having fun!
Up Next
First and foremost, it’s Dinger Day at the ballpark! Our favorite purple dino and all of his friends will try to bring some good vibes and even better luck to the matchup.
The Rockies and Dodgers square off for Game 3 of the wraparound series at 1:10 p.m. MT. Roki Sasaki (0-2, 6.23 ERA) is scheduled to start for Los Angeles, while Michael Lorenzen (1-2, 8.10) is slated to go for Colorado. The Rockies will try to take the series lead in a Sunday matinee matchup.
With OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, New York always had arguably the top duo of wing perimeter defenders in the NBA, but Saturday night showed the Knicks may have unlocked another element that can elevate this defense into a championship-caliber outfit. Forward Josh Hart, a high-energy utility player who can slide into numerous roles asked of him, has blossomed into an irritating defender who is now often tasked with guarding the opponent’s best player. In Game 1, that made him the primary defender on the Hawks' Jalen Johnson.
This started the last few weeks of the regular season, and it has freed Anunoby and Bridges to hound other players. It has also elevated the entire defense.
“Josh is very good at getting to the ball and trying to make the ball-handler uncomfortable,” coach Mike Brown said. “Having Josh, having Mikal, having OG, they allow us to be versatile defensively.”
That versatility gives New York something it can use in this series and beyond, particularly against teams whose players share ball-handling duties: it allows the Knicks to switch pick-and-rolls.
And since the primary function of a pick-and-roll is to create offensive mismatches, the ability to switch players — especially when they’re exceptional defenders — negates that.
This is a problem for Atlanta.
The Hawks, the hottest team in the Eastern Conference after the All-Star break, rely on a fluid, offensive system in which four players split ball-handling duties. Atlanta doesn’t rely on play calls as much as it does on general concepts and actions and asks its players to read the defense. The Hawks want their players to attack into open space.
Against the Knicks Saturday night, those four players — Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, CJ McCollum and Dyson Daniels — were pestered and harassed.
The Hawks shot a respectable 43.7% from the floor, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.
To that point, nine of the 12 Hawks turnovers were committed by the four ball-handlers.
The other thing this swarming, versatile defense offers the Knicks is instant offense; New York emphasized throwing the ball ahead, pushing it into the open floor and getting high-percentage points in transition.
New York generated a +9 advantage in fastbreak points Saturday night.
“I think we just have a great group of guys that are locked in,” Knicks guard Miles McBride told reporters after the game. “I don’t think it’s anybody individually, it’s just our whole team being locked in on trying to make everything tough on them.
“Every single night. It’s non-negotiable. We have to bring it every single night.”
So, how exactly do the Hawks combat this? Game 2 will tip Monday, April 20 here in Madison Square Garden, and the primary objective will be to source easier offense.
For one, they’ll need to find a way to break through that defensive pressure, perhaps abandoning pick-and-rolls in favor of an offense that’s more fluid. Because when the Knicks went on runs in the second half, it was when the ball stagnated for Atlanta.
“Walking away from the game, turnovers, I had 5 turnovers, there’s things that we can do better from a spacing standpoint,” McCollum said. “Moving the ball a little more, being intentional with ball and player movement — I think all those things can factor in to more success for us. …
“I think it’s all about responding. And I look forward to responding on Monday.”
DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray scored 30 points, going 16 of 16 from the free-throw line, and Nikola Jokic had a triple-double as the Denver Nuggets shook off a sluggish start to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105 on Saturday in the opener of their first-round playoff series.
Jokic had 25 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists and a bloody nose in a physical game between the Northwest Division foes. There were 42 fouls called, along with an unsportsmanlike technical on Jaden McDaniels for pushing Jokic in the back and a technical on Nuggets coach David Adelman.
Denver has won 13 straight since losing on March 18.
Murray and the Nuggets trailed by as many as 12 points early, but used a 17-2 run in the third quarter to build a double-digit lead. The Timberwolves, who were held scoreless for more than four minutes at one point in the third, trimmed the deficit to 97-95 with 6:23 left.
Jokic had a five-point stretch to hold off Minnesota. Murray had one of the biggest shots of the game from halfcourt. With the shot clocking winding down, he heaved it at the hoop and it grazed the rim to reset the clock. It eventually led to a dunk from Aaron Gordon that gave Denver a 108-101 lead with 1:50 left. Gordon had 17 points despite early foul trouble.
Game 2 is Monday night.
Anthony Edwards scored 22 points while playing on a sore right knee. Donte DiVincenzo had four 3-pointers.
CAVALIERS 126, RAPTORS 113
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, Max Strus had 24 off the bench and Cleveland defeated Toronto in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
James Harden had 22 points and 10 assists while Evan Mobley had 17 and seven rebounds for fourth-seeded Cleveland, which hosts Game 2 on Monday night.
Mitchell has scored at least 30 points in an NBA-record nine straight series openers.
RJ Barrett scored 24 points and Scottie Barnes had 21 for the Raptors, who were playing in their first playoff game since 2022. Toronto was missing point guard Immanuel Quickley because of a mild right hamstring strain.
Jamal Shead started in place of Quickley and had 17 points, including five 3-pointers.
Barrett’s 3-pointer pulled the Raptors to within 45-41 before Cleveland broke it open with a 27-9 run over the last 1:11 of the second quarter and first seven minutes of the third.
Strus scored 11 points during the spurt and made all three of his 3-pointers as the Cavaliers went 10 of 16 from the floor, including 5 of 8 beyond the arc.
KNICKS 113, HAWKS 102
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 28 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 of his 25 in the second half and New York beat Atlanta in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series.
OG Anunoby added 18 points and Josh Hart had 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks in their first postseason game under Mike Brown after making four trips in five years under Tom Thibodeau, capped by their first trip to the Eastern Conference finals since 2000 last year.
The No. 3 seed in the East again this season hosts Game 2 on Monday night.
CJ McCollum had 26 points and Jalen Johnson added 23 for the Hawks, who went 20-6 after the All-Star break to earn the No. 6 seed.
Brunson, who already owns the Knicks’ record with eight 40-point games in the postseason, was almost halfway to another in the first quarter. He made his first six shots and had 19 points as the Knicks led 30-24. McCollum had 12 points in the second as Atlanta cut it to 57-55.
Brunson didn’t do as much in the second half, but Towns took over after he was just 1 for 6 for six points at the break.
The teams got off to sizzling starts, with the Knicks opening 8 for 9 and Atlanta starting 6 for 7, before play eventually slowed to a crawl in the third quarter. McCollum was reviewed for a hostile act and called for a technical foul after kicking his leg up on a jumper into Brunson’s groin area, and the Hawks twice intentionally fouled backup center Mitchell Robinson, and the poor foul shooter went 1 for 4.
By the time the Hawks got going again, it was too late.
LAKERS 107, ROCKETS 98
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luke Kennard scored a career playoff-high 27 points, LeBron James had 19 points and 13 assists, and short-handed Los Angeles capitalized on Kevin Durant’s injury absence for a victory over Houston in the opener of their first-round playoff series.
Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the fourth-seeded Lakers, who pulled off an impressive win without their top two scorers.
Both teams played the opener without their most important player. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have been out indefinitely with injuries since April 2, while Durant was a late scratch with a bruised right knee.
Los Angeles thrived by hitting 60.6% of its shots while holding the Rockets to 37.6% shooting with pesky defense.
Alperen Sengun scored 19 points and Jabari Smith Jr. had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Rockets, who finished one game behind Los Angeles in the regular season. Amen Thompson added 17 points, but Houston’s young core got off to an inconsistent start after becoming the firm favorite in this series due to the Lakers’ injury woes.
Los Angeles, CA - April 18: Lakers center Deandre Ayton celebrates with Lakers guard Luke Kennard after a made basket. Lakers hosting the Rockets in game one of the NBA first round playoffs at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Saturday, April 18, 2026. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)Lakers center Deandre Ayton, #5Lakers guard Kobe Bufkin, #18Lakers guard Luka Doncic, #77Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, #28Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, #11Lakers guard Bronny James, #9Lakers forward LeBron James, #23Lakers guard Luke Kennard, #10Lakers forward Maxi Kleber, #14Lakers forward Dalton Knecht, #4Lakers forward Jake LaRavia, #12Lakers guard Chris Manon, #30Lakers guard Austin Reaves, #15Lakers guard Marcus Smart, #36Lakers guard Nick Smith Jr., #20Lakers forward Adou Thiero, #1Lakers forward Drew Timme, #17Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, #2Lakers head coach JJ RedickRockets center Steven Adams, #12Rockets center Clint Capela, #30Rockets forward Isaiah Crawford, #27Rockets guard JD Davison, #4Rockets forward Tari Eason, #17Rockets forward Dorian Finney-Smith, #2Rockets forward Jeff Green, #32Rockets guard Aaron Holiday, #0Rockets guard Tristen Newton, #13Rockets guard Josh Okogie, #20Rockets center Alperen Sengun, #28Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, #15Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., #10Rockets forward Jae'Sean Tate, #8Rockets guard Amen Thompson, #1Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, #5Rockets coach Ime Udoka
A career night from Luke Kennard and a double-double from LeBron James powered the Lakers to a Game 1 win over the Rockets, 107-98.
While Houston outscored LA 23-6 in second-chance points, they shot just 37.6% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the 3-point line. LA, meanwhile, shot 60.6% from the field.
The Lakers started Game 1 off with a turnover that led to Josh Okogie getting fouled on the other end. He converted on both free throws, putting the Rockets in the lead early. That turnover would be the exception in the first quarter, though.
Deandre Ayton opened the scoring for LA with a midrange jumper. Los Angeles had as great a start as they’d hope, making eight out of its first 10 shot attempts.
Rui Hachimura led the Lakers with five points, Ayton and LeBron James were close behind with four points each. Okogie led Houston with five points. At the 6:11 mark, LA was up by three after the Rockets made a surge.
Reed Sheppard added a quick five points for Houston. Luke Kennard suddenly ignited for five points, pushing his point total to nine and making him the leading scorer on the team.
LeBron James, who has long held many NBA playoff records like games (292) and points (8,289, with Michael Jordan second at 5,987) opens his Year 23 playoffs with 8 assists in 9 minutes.
Kennard ended the quarter in double figures with 11 points. LeBron ended the quarter with eight assists, which was a new playoff-career high for him. At the end of the first, the purple and gold were up by four.
LeBron and Jarred Vanderbilt opened the second period with five points for LA. The Rockets turned the ball over twice. Amen Thompson scored the first field goal for Houston in the paint.
At the 6:22 mark, Los Angeles was up by eight.
Hachimura and Ayton were both shooting 100% from the field, combining for 19 points. The Rockets did pick up their defensive effort, forcing a few missed shots from the Lakers. After having one turnover in the first, Los Angeles now had eight turnovers.
LA turned the ball over and played frantic basketball down the stretch of the half. Houston started getting foul calls in their favor. Los Angeles shot 46% from the field in that quarter.
At halftime, Los Angeles was up by two.
Two unforced Lakers turnovers, and two reach in fouls with Houston in the bonus helped the Rockets close the 2nd Q on a 6-0 run to cut LA's halftime lead to 2.
LeBron has 6 points and 10 assists, Ayton 12 points and 4 boards and Smart 7 points with 6 assists.
Sheppard knocked down a triple to put the Rockets up by one to start the second half. Ayton scored on a tip-in of his own shot attempt to give the Lakers the lead again. Jabari Smith Jr. drained his third 3-pointer of the game. He was leading the Rockets with 13 points.
Hachimura knocked down a 3-pointer for LA, his second of the night.
The defensive intensity was high for both teams as they blocked shots and fought for rebounds. Kennard drained his second triple of the game. Both he and Ayton had 14 points.
An 8-0 scoring run gave Los Angeles a decent cushion. Much of the rest of the quarter saw a barrage of free throws being shot. The Lakers were shooting just 63% from the charity stripe, with Marcus Smart being a brutal 2-6 from the line.
LA managed to close the third well, going up by nine.
The Lakers held Houston to 18 points in the 3rd Q, scoring 25 to take a 75-66 lead into the 4th.
LeBron has 10 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds, Ayton 14 and 10 boards, Smart 10 and 7 assists, and Kennard 18 with 4 boards.
A 3-pointer from Sheppard opened the final frame. Hachimura responded with four points for Los Angeles. Kennard added two triples, and LeBron added one of his own as well, pushing the lead to 16 for the Lakers, forcing the Rockets to call a timeout.
Out of the break, Alperen Şengün scored five straight. Kennard then drained another 3-pointer. Tari Eason responded with one on the other end for Houston, leading to a timeout from head coach JJ Redick.
Smart knocked down a 3-pointer out of the break.
Eason was putting in good minutes for the Rockets, scoring another four points to try to keep Houston in it. With two minutes left, the Rockets kept inching closer, making it a nine-point game.
At the 1:40 mark, it was an 11-point lead for LA.
It was back to nine after Smith dunked the ball. Ayton was then fouled and converted on the three-point play, sealing the win.
Key Player Stats
LeBron finished with 19 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and two steals. Kennard’s huge night saw him finish with 27 points, a playoff career high, on 9-13 shooting. Ayton ended with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Hachimura notched 14 points. Smart logged 15 points, eight assists and two blocks. Jake LaRavia scored six points off the bench.
Game 2 will be on Tuesday against the Houston Rockets at 7:30 PM PT.
Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani flies out against the Colorado Rockies during the fifth inning Saturday in Denver. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
Happens to the best of 'em.
Runners stranded in scoring position. Hitters chasing, squandering chances, failing to support a pitcher fighting without his best stuff. A reliever off the mark, his few mistakes a few too many.
All adding up to a loss. Rare and deserved.
For just the fifth time in 20 games so far this season, the Dodgers came out on the wrong end of the ledger, losing 4-3 to the Colorado Rockies on Saturday before a blue-and-purple crowd of 47,925 at Coors Field.
Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing follows the flight of his solo home run off Colorado pitcher Ryan Feltner Saturday in Denver. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
"Up to this point with runners in scoring position, we've been able to — whether it be earn a walk or swing at good pitches – get hits,” Dodger manager Dave Roberts said. “Today it just seemed like we chased a lot more than we have.”
Kyle Tucker, the Dodgers’ new $240 million man, had his second three-hit game this season — but he scored only once, in the first inning, on his 435-foot two-run home run into the second deck.
Freddie Freeman went two for three, including a triple, but he was stranded both times he reached.
And Shohei Ohtani made more history — he extended his career-best consecutive on-base record to 50 games with a ninth-inning single to tie Willie Keeler’s 1901 mark for third in franchise history — but he also scored only once, having reached on an error before Tucker’s first-inning homer.
In all, the Dodgers left eight runners on base — including Ohtani and Will Smith in the ninth — and went 0 for seven with runners in scoring position.
“I mean, it happens at times,” said Tucker, who jumped on pitches early in counts Saturday in an attempt to build a consistent rhythm from at-bat to at-bat, game-to-game.
“We're facing big league pitchers and they got some guys in their bullpen that can pitch really well. But at the same time, we gotta do our part. We had some opportunities with guys on base, especially late. Just gotta find ways to get hits or just get those guys in. Happens at times, but we just gotta do a better job at it.”
These were atypical postgame lamentations for the Dodgers, whose steamroll hit a speedbump as they lost for the first all season to a National League opponent.
Starter Emmet Sheehan wasn’t as sharp as in his prior outing, but he left after five innings with a one-run lead, having thrown 77 pitches, giving up four hits and two runs with four strikeouts and two walks.
“I think last time we made a lot of progress on mechanical stuff,” said Sheehan, who gave up two runs in the first two innings but then held the Rockies at bay. His best inning was his finale one, the 1-2-3, nine-pitch fifth.
“Definitely happy with some of the pitches I made later, but I got to be better earlier in the game,” Sheehan said.
“He fought, he showed how tough he is out there,” said Rushing, the Dodgers’ hot- and hard-hitting backup catcher who got the start. “He didn’t have his best stuff. He knew that. He knew he was going to have to pivot a little bit, figure some things out. I’ll give it to him. He grinded out there. But there’s some things we can work on, both us, about understanding a gameplan. But overall I’m proud of the way he grinded.
“Obviously I’m not proud of the result. We lost a baseball game. But at the same time I think there was some good coming out of the grinding.”
Rushing’s only hit Saturday was a 371-foot solo home run in the second inning that gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead that lasted until reliever Will Klein gave up three consecutive hits and two runs — and the one-run lead he was staked — in the sixth inning.
“I thought tonight his sweeper, the feel for spin wasn't good,” Roberts said. “He didn't have it and I think a couple of those hits early were just cement mixers that just didn't do anything.”
Right-hander Roki Sasaki (0-2, 6.23) is scheduled to take the mound for the Dodgers in the famously hitter-friendly ballpark for a 1:10 p.m. game Sunday. Right-hander Michael Lorenzen (1-2, 8.10) is scheduled to start for the Rockies.
Treinen is fine
Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen was struck by a batted ball while he was in the bullpen before the game, but he said afterward that he was “fine.”
The Dodgers' right-handed reliever said he didn’t experience any concussion-like symptoms and could have come on to pitch after being tested to ensure he did not, in fact, have a concussion.
MacKinnon to score
Caufield Over 0.5 assists
Pastrnak to score
