The Los Angeles Lakers were supposed to be heavy underdogs in their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets because they are without their top two scorers in Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves . However, two games into the series, the Lakers have held serve and are up 2-0.
Of course, the 41-year-old LeBron James has looked spectacular, turning back the time and is wearing the No. 1 option cape again. But LBJ would not have led the Lakers to back-to-back wins over the Houston Rockets if not for Luke Kennard , who has averaged 25 points per game in the first two games of the series.
Former NBA player Sam Dekker credited Lakers head coach JJ Redick for pulling the Kennard rabbit from his hat.
"So it took 9 seasons for an NBA coaching staff to figure out how to use Luke Kennard properly?" tweeted Dekker. "Amazing what happens when a coach elevates a guy to play to his strengths instead of just pigeon-holing him into what they think he is. At least JJ did some homework…"
The Lakers had plenty of issues to address heading into the trade deadline. But many were surprised that the only move they made was to flip Gabe Vincent for Kennard.
Luke provided the Lakers with the much-needed 3-point shooting, bringing his league-leading .478 accuracy to Tinseltown. But he was never a volume shooter, so while he made the 3's, he didn't make much of a difference. Well, that was until Luka and AR got hurt.
Redick promoted Kennard to the starting lineup out of necessity, but he has since shown that he is more than just a knockdown 3-point shooter. His first start since the injuries produced a triple-double, and although they lost, Redick knew he had a diamond in the rough. With more usage, Kennard has delivered impressive numbers and has shown there's much more to his game than just catching passes and knocking down open 3-pointers.
In Game 1, he exploded for 27 points on 9-13 shooting, including 5-5 from 3-point distance — the first Laker since Robert Horry to make 5 triples without a miss in a playoff game. Then in Game 2, he scored 23 points and grabbed 6 rebounds as the Lakers held on to beat the Rockets 101-94 to take a commanding 2-0 series lead.
"You know I always say that with 80% of NBA players, it's about fit - fit on the roster, fit with the coaches, fit with the team culture. The top 10% of guys will be superstars wherever, the bottom 10% are gonna struggle wherever. Everyone else...well, see Kennard, Luke," Rachel Nichols commented on Dekker's tweet.
When Kennard was traded to the Lakers, he wasn't just excited to play for one of the most iconic franchises in the NBA. But he was also thrilled to be on the same team as LeBron James because he had played on LeBron's AAU team, the "King James Superstars," in Ohio.
It also helped Luke that he played college ball at Duke and his new head coach is one of the best sharpshooters to come out of that school. Talk about the perfect fit.
"I heard so many stories, watched tons of his films because when I was in college, that is who I watched. It was him and a couple of other guys, just trying to see what they did. But yeah, seeing JJ in passing and getting to know him a little bit, I'm excited for the opportunity to play for him," Luke said right after the trade.
"Sometimes it's tough. Just depending on the situation you're in, what the system is like, just all the kinds of factors that play into it. But I know here, they got great passers, great playmakers, high IQ players, and I'm excited to get some of the most wide open looks I've ever had," he added.
Well, the situation has presented itself due to the injuries. JJ has given Luke a bigger responsibility, and he has delivered. LeBron trusts him on the floor and they have been an unlikely one-two punch in the first two games of their first-round series. Credit Kennard for stepping up. But props to the Lakers for giving him the break.
Related: Kevin Durant fired back at a heckling L.A. Lakers fan with a graphic one-liner
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
