After closing the regular season in spectacular fashion on April 13, 2026, the Los Angeles Lakers have turned their full attention to their upcoming NBA playoff series against the Houston Rockets.
The matchup, set to open later this week, will be the first postseason meeting between the two teams since Houston eliminated Los Angeles in the 2020 bubble. While the league had not yet released the complete schedule as of Monday morning, Lakers staff said preparations are already under way.
Los Angeles completed the 82-game slate with a surge that vaulted the club into playoff position on the final day. The late push ensured the franchise’s second straight postseason berth under head coach Darvin Ham. “Now it’s about the Rockets,” Ham told reporters after Sunday night’s win, adding that the focus shifts immediately to game-planning for Houston’s up-tempo offense.
Star forward LeBron James echoed the sentiment, noting that the swift turnaround from regular-season intensity to playoff urgency is “part of the job.” James said film study on Houston began on the team flight home and will continue during practices at the Lakers’ El Segundo training facility.
Houston enters the series after its own strong finish, securing the Western Conference’s sixth seed. The Rockets and Lakers split their four regular-season meetings, each club winning twice on its home floor.
Ticket information for the best-of-seven series will be released once dates and times are confirmed by the NBA.
Source: New York Post
