The Los Angeles Lakers secured a 101–94 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night at home, taking a 2–0 lead in their Western Conference first-round series. Despite missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers successfully spoiled Kevin Durant’s return to the Rockets' lineup after he missed Game 1 with a knee contusion.
LeBron James, 41 and in his 23rd NBA season, became the engine again in Game 2. He finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, operating as the primary initiator on both ends while the rest of the roster filled in around him.
However, the moment of the night occurred midway through the third quarter. With the Rockets trailing 60–57, King James caught a ball near halfcourt and threw down a two-handed reverse dunk that caught the Crypto.com Arena crowd off guard. The bucket pushed the lead to 62–57.
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
In the locker room afterward, ESPN's Dave McMenamin asked James about the athleticism behind the dunk, and his response was pretty humble.
"I don't even know what that was about," James said. "I got to sit the hell down. I got to sit down somewhere."
He has officially set three major NBA playoff records for players over the age of 40. Through the first two games of the 2026 postseason, he now holds the highest career playoff PPG (23.5), RPG (8.0), and APG (10.0) for any player in that age bracket.
These records highlight his unmatched longevity and dominance at 41, as he continues to put up elite numbers across scoring, rebounding, and playmaking in the postseason.
Durant returned for Game 2 without a minutes restriction, but the Rockets still couldn't pull out a win. They shot 37.6% from the field in Game 1 without Durant. In Game 2, their shooting improved slightly to 40.4%, but they still struggled from deep, making only 7 of 29 three-pointers. But it was not enough to stop the Lakers from taking a 2-0 lead in the series.
Game 3 starts Friday at 8:00 p.m. ET at the Toyota Center in Houston. The Rockets need a win at home to stay in the series, while James continues to lead the shorthanded Lakers through the first round.
