Lakers vs Rockets, Game 4: Rockets win 115-96, Lakers lead series 3-1

Updated
NBA Playoffs · Western conference first round
Los Angeles LakersLakers
Playoffs 3-1 · Away
96–115
Final
Sunday, April 26, 2026
Houston RocketsRockets
Playoffs 1-3 · Home

2026 West First Round · Lakers lead 3-1

  1. G1LAL 107-98
  2. G2LAL 101-94
  3. G3LAL 112-108
  4. G4HOU 115-96
  5. G5HOU 99-93
  6. G6LAL 98-78

Lakers vs Rockets Game 4 final: the Houston Rockets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 115-96 on April 26, 2026 at Toyota Center. Lakers lead 3-1 after Game 4.

Lakers vs Rockets Game Info

Date
Sunday, April 26, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 PM ET / 6:30 PM PT
Arena
Toyota Center, Houston
Season
2025-26 NBA Season

Score by Quarter

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Lakers2126183196
Rockets26303425115

Lakers vs Rockets Recap

The Lakers lead the series 3-1.

Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 23 points and 7 assists. Deandre Ayton led the Lakers with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

The Rockets did the damage in the 3rd quarter, winning that period by 16.

Top Performers

Lakers

Rockets

Team Stats

LakersStatRockets
37-74Field Goals39-81
50.0%FG %48.1%
5-223-Pointers12-30
22.7%3P %40.0%
17-21Free Throws25-31
81.0%FT %80.6%
37Rebounds35
10Off. Rebounds11
23Assists19
6Steals17
7Blocks4
23Turnovers13
20Fouls22
5Biggest Lead28

Four Factors

TeamEffective FG%Turnover %Off. rebound %FT rate (FTM/FGA)
Lakers53.4%21.6%29.4%0.230
Rockets55.6%12.1%28.9%0.309

Dean Oliver's four factors decide most games: shooting, turnovers, offensive rebounding and free throws. Better side highlighted.

Lakers vs Rockets Box Score

Los Angeles Lakers
PlayerMINPTSREBASTSTLBLKTOFG3PTFT+/-
Marcus Smart G309253343-80-23-3-20
Rui Hachimura F2913311116-101-20-0-18
Luke Kennard G327320023-80-31-1-13
LeBron James F3310490082-90-36-6-18
Deandre Ayton C25191000029-120-01-1-19
Bench
Jake LaRavia F166300122-50-12-2-14
Maxi Kleber F61121000-00-01-2+1
Nick Smith Jr. G75000112-51-30-0+4
Jaxson Hayes CF152200101-20-00-2-4
Bronny James G155240012-51-40-0-1
Dalton Knecht G78300002-32-32-2+4
Jarred Vanderbilt F138401014-60-10-1-1
Adou Thiero F63000011-10-01-1+4
Houston Rockets
PlayerMINPTSREBASTSTLBLKTOFG3PTFT+/-
Tari Eason F3020825127-102-54-4+31
Amen Thompson G40234710410-160-03-3+21
Reed Sheppard G2817133016-124-71-1+22
Alperen Sengun C3219621126-120-07-13+7
Jabari Smith Jr. F4116833014-152-106-6+24
Bench
Jae'Sean Tate F32100001-10-00-0-6
Josh Okogie G185413002-51-20-0+20
Jeff Green F30000000-00-00-0-4
JD Davison G32200020-00-02-2-6
Dorian Finney-Smith F192100100-20-12-2-13
Aaron Holiday G189011113-83-50-0-1

Game Flow

Rockets leadLakers lead
Q1Q2Q3Q4
Lead changes
3
Times tied
3
Rockets largest lead
28
Lakers largest lead
5
Play-by-Play

Scoring plays, newest first. Score shown Lakers-Rockets.

1st Quarter 28 scoring plays
  • 0:01RocketsJosh Okogie +221-26
  • 0:57LakersMarcus Smart +221-24
  • 1:12RocketsAaron Holiday +319-24
  • 1:42RocketsAlperen Sengun +219-21
  • 2:20RocketsAlperen Sengun +119-19
  • 2:43LakersJake LaRavia +219-18
  • 3:19RocketsAlperen Sengun +217-18
  • 3:47RocketsAmen Thompson +217-16
  • 4:30RocketsAlperen Sengun +117-14
  • 4:46LakersLeBron James +117-13
  • 4:46LakersLeBron James +116-13
  • 5:08RocketsJabari Smith Jr. +115-13
  • 5:08RocketsJabari Smith Jr. +115-12
  • 5:23LakersJake LaRavia +115-11
  • 5:23LakersJake LaRavia +115-11
  • 5:59LakersLuke Kennard +213-11
  • 6:19RocketsReed Sheppard +311-11
  • 6:29LakersLeBron James +111-8
  • 6:29LakersLeBron James +110-8
  • 6:48RocketsJabari Smith Jr. +29-8
  • 7:13RocketsAlperen Sengun +29-6
  • 7:33LakersLeBron James +29-4
  • 8:17RocketsTari Eason +27-4
  • 8:56LakersLuke Kennard +17-2
  • 9:55LakersLuke Kennard +26-2
  • 10:21LakersDeandre Ayton +24-2
  • 11:20RocketsReed Sheppard +22-2
  • 11:39LakersRui Hachimura +22-0
2nd Quarter 31 scoring plays
  • 0:02RocketsAlperen Sengun +247-56
  • 0:20LakersMarcus Smart +147-54
  • 0:20LakersMarcus Smart +146-54
  • 0:29RocketsAlperen Sengun +145-54
  • 0:42LakersDeandre Ayton +145-53
  • 0:42LakersDeandre Ayton +244-53
  • 0:54RocketsReed Sheppard +242-53
  • 1:12RocketsAmen Thompson +142-51
  • 1:12RocketsAmen Thompson +242-50
  • 1:25LakersDeandre Ayton +242-48
  • 1:57RocketsAmen Thompson +240-48
  • 2:42RocketsJosh Okogie +340-46
  • 2:54LakersDeandre Ayton +240-43
  • 3:09RocketsTari Eason +138-43
  • 3:09RocketsTari Eason +138-42
  • 3:39LakersJake LaRavia +238-41
  • 4:05LakersRui Hachimura +236-41
  • 4:24RocketsReed Sheppard +334-41
  • 4:40LakersJaxson Hayes +234-38
  • 5:14LakersLeBron James +132-38
  • 5:14LakersLeBron James +131-38
  • 5:47LakersDeandre Ayton +230-38
  • 6:35RocketsAlperen Sengun +128-38
  • 6:35RocketsAlperen Sengun +228-37
  • 7:47RocketsAmen Thompson +228-35
  • 8:12LakersRui Hachimura +328-33
  • 8:52LakersDeandre Ayton +225-33
  • 9:13RocketsAmen Thompson +223-33
  • 9:57RocketsTari Eason +223-31
  • 11:08LakersDeandre Ayton +223-29
  • 11:46RocketsJabari Smith Jr. +321-29
3rd Quarter 29 scoring plays
  • 0:31RocketsAmen Thompson +265-90
  • 0:39LakersMarcus Smart +264-88
  • 0:39LakersMarcus Smart +163-88
  • 0:52RocketsAmen Thompson +162-88
  • 0:52RocketsAmen Thompson +162-87
  • 1:21RocketsDorian Finney-Smith +162-86
  • 1:21RocketsDorian Finney-Smith +162-85
  • 2:35RocketsJabari Smith Jr. +362-84
  • 2:52LakersBronny James +362-81
  • 3:10RocketsTari Eason +259-81
  • 3:23RocketsReed Sheppard +159-79
  • 3:53RocketsAlperen Sengun +159-78
  • 4:45LakersRui Hachimura +259-77
  • 5:41RocketsAlperen Sengun +157-77
  • 5:57LakersRui Hachimura +257-76
  • 6:20RocketsAlperen Sengun +155-76
  • 6:20RocketsAlperen Sengun +255-75
  • 6:36RocketsTari Eason +355-73
  • 7:19LakersDeandre Ayton +255-70
  • 7:39RocketsTari Eason +253-70
  • 7:59LakersDeandre Ayton +253-68
  • 8:21RocketsAmen Thompson +251-68
  • 8:47RocketsTari Eason +151-66
  • 8:47RocketsTari Eason +151-65
  • 8:58LakersRui Hachimura +251-64
  • 9:26RocketsReed Sheppard +349-64
  • 9:53LakersLuke Kennard +249-61
  • 11:10RocketsReed Sheppard +347-61
  • 11:37RocketsAmen Thompson +247-58
4th Quarter 30 scoring plays
  • 0:33RocketsJD Davison +196-115
  • 0:33RocketsJD Davison +196-114
  • 0:50LakersBronny James +296-113
  • 1:11LakersDalton Knecht +394-113
  • 1:26RocketsJae'Sean Tate +291-113
  • 1:43LakersMaxi Kleber +191-111
  • 2:16LakersNick Smith Jr. +290-111
  • 3:01LakersDalton Knecht +188-111
  • 3:01LakersDalton Knecht +187-111
  • 3:26RocketsTari Eason +386-111
  • 3:51LakersNick Smith Jr. +386-108
  • 4:14RocketsTari Eason +283-108
  • 4:32RocketsAmen Thompson +283-106
  • 5:26RocketsJabari Smith Jr. +283-104
  • 6:04RocketsJabari Smith Jr. +183-102
  • 6:04RocketsJabari Smith Jr. +183-101
  • 6:23LakersDalton Knecht +383-100
  • 6:49LakersAdou Thiero +180-100
  • 6:49LakersAdou Thiero +279-100
  • 7:25LakersJarred Vanderbilt +277-100
  • 7:39RocketsAaron Holiday +375-100
  • 8:02LakersJarred Vanderbilt +275-97
  • 8:36LakersLeBron James +273-97
  • 9:53LakersJarred Vanderbilt +271-97
  • 10:08RocketsAaron Holiday +369-97
  • 10:33LakersJarred Vanderbilt +269-94
  • 10:50RocketsJabari Smith Jr. +167-94
  • 10:50RocketsJabari Smith Jr. +167-93
  • 11:19LakersMarcus Smart +267-92
  • 11:28RocketsAmen Thompson +265-92

Next for the Lakers

West Conference Semifinals: Thunder vs Lakers · Thunder win 4-0

Thunder vs Lakers series ›

Lakers vs Rockets: Series So Far

GameDateMatchupResultTop scorer
Game 1Apr 18Rockets @ LakersLakers 107-98Luke Kennard 27
Game 2Apr 21Rockets @ LakersLakers 101-94LeBron James 28
Game 3Apr 24Lakers @ RocketsLakers 112-108Alperen Sengun 33
Game 4Apr 26Lakers @ RocketsRockets 115-96Amen Thompson 23
Game 5Apr 29Rockets @ LakersRockets 99-93LeBron James 25
Game 6May 1Lakers @ RocketsLakers 98-78LeBron James 28

Full series page ›

Series Leaders

Lakers

Rockets

Per-game averages in this series, top three scorers per team.

More NBA Games on Apr 26, 2026

That covers Lakers vs Rockets: score, leaders and box score above. Next: Lakers host the Rockets May 3; Rockets visit the Lakers May 3.

Lakers vs Rockets FAQs

Who won Lakers vs Rockets Game 4?

The Houston Rockets won 115-96 on April 26, 2026. Lakers lead 3-1 after Game 4.

What is the Lakers vs Rockets series score?

Lakers lead 3-1 in the 2026 West First Round.

Who was the top scorer in Lakers vs Rockets?

Deandre Ayton scored 19 for the Lakers. Amen Thompson scored 23 for the Rockets.