Lakers vs. Rockets 2026 NBA Playoffs Game 3 prediction, odds, pick

Story by

Story by
Lakers vs. Rockets 2026 NBA Playoffs Game 3 prediction, odds, pick

RB Hayek, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Fri, Apr 24, 2026 ·

4 min read

About Our Ads

Lakers vs. Rockets 2026 NBA Playoffs Game 3 prediction, odds, pick appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

The Los Angeles Lakers hope to take a 3-0 series lead while the Houston Rockets hope to avoid a 3-0 hole. The First Round continues, and two teams in the Western Conference square off. It’s time to check out our NBA Playoffs odds series and make a Lakers-Rockets Game 3 prediction and pick.

The Lakers defeated the Rockets 101-94 in Game 2, once again stunning the NBA, and taking a 2-0 series lead as they hit the road for Houston. What’s more impressive about this is that they have gotten contributions from everyone. With five players averaging 12 or more points, the Lakers are finding ways to score and adjusting to life without two of their best players. Can they do it again on the road?

NBA odds courtesy of DraftKings

Lakers vs. Rockets Game 3 Odds

Los Angeles Lakers : +8.5 (-108)

Houston Rockets : -8.5 (-112)

Over: 206.5 (-110)

Under: 206.5 (-110)

Lakers vs. Rockets Key Injuries

Los Angeles : Luka Doncic (hamstring – OUT) / Austin Reaves (oblique – OUT)

Houston: Kevin Durant (ankle – QUESTIONABLE) / Steven Adams (ankle – Out) / Fred VanVleet (knee – OUT)

The Los Angeles Lakers have gone 25-16 on the road this season. The Houston Rockets are 30-11.
The Rockets are 48-26 as betting favorites. The Lakers are 17-18 as underdogs.
The Lakers are 48-36 ATS overall, 21-20 ATS on the road. The Rockets are 36-48 ATS overall, 17-24 ATS at home.
The total has gone OVER in six of Houston’s last nine games.
The Lakers are 7-1 ATS in their past eight games against the Rockets.
The total has gone UNDER in the Lakers’ last five games.

Keys to Lakers vs. Rockets Game 3 Matchup

When Luka Doncic sustained his hamstring injury, many wrote the Lakers off. It got worse when Austin Reaves suffered an injury and could not play in the first portion of the First Round. But the Lakers have found ways to make things work without them. But what no one saw coming was the emergence of Luke Kennard .

When the Lakers traded for Kennard , many saw him as a three-point shooting threat off the bench. They certainly did not see him exploding in the playoffs and leading the team in scoring. So far, Kennard has averaged 25 points across both games. He went 8 of 13, including 3 of 6from beyond the arc, with 23 points, six rebounds, and two assists while getting three steals across 42 minutes. His increased playing time has seen him step up in a big way.

LeBron James has defied Father Time, averaging 23.5 points across two games. He scored 28 points while shooting 8 of 20, including 2 of 5 from beyond the arc, in Game 2 to help Kennard out. James has not taken over the game, but has done the little things needed to help the Lakers thrive. Marcus Smart has also been excellent, tallying 25 points in Game 2.

But the Lakers won Game 2 on the strength of solid defense. Despite shooting just 45.8% from the floor, they also held the Rockets to 40.4%. Notably, they held the Rockets to just 24.1% from the triples. It also helped that they forced the Rockets to turn the rock over 15 times.

For the Rockets to win, they need to shoot the rock better. Kevin Durant did well, scoring 23 points while shooting 7 of 12. Likewise, Alperen Sengun added 20 points. Jabari Smith Jr. had 18 points, while Amen Thompson added 16. But the Rockets’ bench was pitiful, scoring a combined 10 points while shooting 4 of 25 from the floor. That cannot happen again if the Rockets want to stay alive in this series.

The Rockets allowed 33 points to the Lakers in the first quarter and never quite recovered. Despite only trailing by three at the half, they managed just 17 points in the third quarter. The Rockets need to do a better job of coming out of the gate.

Final Lakers-Rockets Game 3 Prediction & Pick

Many predicted the Rockets to win this series in five or six games. While the latter can still happen, the former cannot. The Rockets will come out firing, as they are in the comfortable surroundings of their home court. But they have struggled to cover the spread at home this season, and have already lost twice to the Lakers on their own floor. The Rockets might win, but the Lakers will cover the spread.

Mobilize your Website

View Site in Mobile | Classic

Share by: