LeBron Hypes Luke Kennard After Lakers' Win vs. Rockets amid Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves Injuries

LeBron James praised Luke Kennard after his teammate stepped up in the injury absence of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves in Saturday's playoff opener against the Houston Rockets.

Kennard scored a playoff career-high 27 points to help James and the Lakers claim a 107-98 Game 1 win over a Rockets team missing Kevin Durant.

"Poised, ready for the moment," James told Spectrum SportsNet's Mike Trudell about Kennard. "We need everybody to step up, and he stepped up big time. I think he was five for five from the three-point line.

"Every shot was timely shots, as well, especially in the fourth quarter, and he gave us another ball-handler. Obviously we're missing two of our key ball-handlers with Luka and AR out, so it's great to have him."

Kennard, who was traded from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Gabe Vincent in February, averaged nine points in 32 regular-season games and six starts for the Lakers.

After shooting over 50 percent from the field during the regular season, Kennard went 9-for-13 from the field and 5-for-5 from deep in his Lakers playoff debut.

The Lakers will hope to get some more big postseason games from Kennard as the team continues the first-round series without confirmed return timelines for either Dončić or Reaves, who have been respectively sidelined by a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury.

Head coach JJ Redick said earlier this week both players would be "out indefinitely."

The Rockets are waiting for an injury update on Kevin Durant, who sat out Game 1 after suffering a knee injury on a collision with a teammate during practice last week.

Durant, who has been described by coach Ime Udoka as "day to day," will hope to be ready by the time Game 2 tips off Tuesday night in Los Angeles.