On April 19 Beijing time, the Rockets without Durant lost Game 1. According to reporter Amick, Durant himself was extremely frustrated about being unable to play in the first playoff game. Amick reported that about two hours before the game, Durant tested his injured knee on the court. Even without a medical examination, it was clear that his injury was obvious, his condition poor, and his face full of pain.

McDaniels stepped under Murray's foot, resulting in a Flagrant 1 foul. Jokić's nose was hit and bleeding. Randle's sneaky elbow in the paint knocked Gordon down flat. Although the Nuggets secured a 116-105 home victory over the Timberwolves in playoff Game 1, they paid a significant price. The Nuggets' two stars: Murray with 30 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and a +13 plus/minus; Jokić with a triple-double of 25 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, and a +9 plus/minus.

21-3, the Rockets outrebounded the Lakers by 18 offensive rebounds, yet still lost 98-107. The reason is simple: the Rockets' offense was poor, shooting 35 out of 93, including 11 out of 33 from three-point range; the Lakers shot 40 out of 66, including 10 out of 19 from three-point range.

Today, the Lakers hosted the first game of the series against the Rockets at home, Durant was absent due to a knee injury. The Rockets starting lineup consisted of Sheppard, Okogie, Amen, Jabari Smith, and Sengun. The Lakers starters were Smart, Kennard, Hachimura, James, and Ayton.

In Game 1 of the Rockets-Lakers series, Durant's absence completely altered the predetermined trajectory of the series. The Lakers had planned to aggressively double-team Durant; seeing that he wasn't playing made things simpler for them. They fully committed to collapsing defensively into the paint, essentially telling the rest of the Rockets: "Just shoot." The Lakers displayed astonishing offensive efficiency in the first quarter, shooting 78.9% from the field, with a mid-range performance of 12 out of 11 attempts, an incredible 92%.

“Huo, you're serious.” Durant actually missed the Rockets vs. Lakers G1 due to a right knee contusion. Rockets coach Udoka provided detailed explanation, stating Durant was hit above the knee patellar tendon during team training, the injury area is very painful & mobility is limited. Already 37-year-old Durant is considered an iron man, this regular season he played 78 games, averaging 36.

On April 19, in Game 1 of the Western Conference NBA playoffs first round, the Lakers defeated the Rockets 107-98 at home, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.

On April 19 Beijing time, former NBA star Charles Barkley disclosed that he and Michael Jordan have repaired their relationship, resolving past conflicts, and golf will once again serve as the bond maintaining their connection. In the 1990s, Barkley and Jordan were not only two NBA superstars, but also teammates on the 1992 Olympic Dream Team, and close friends who both passionately loved golf.

On April 19 Beijing time, the Trail Blazers official social media updated, sharing a moment of Yang Hansen boarding the plane with the team to fly to San Antonio. The official post stated: "Yang Hansen begins his first NBA playoff journey." In the image, Hansen is smiling as he boards the aircraft, starting his inaugural playoff trip in his NBA career. The Trail Blazers and Spurs' Game 1 will commence at 9 AM on April 20. For Hansen, this is also a completely new experience.

On April 19 Beijing time, according to Rockets reporter Vanessa Richardson, Durant will miss the first playoff game due to a knee contusion. Previously, Durant's status was listed as questionable, but it was downgraded to out before the game. This means the Rockets will be missing a key scoring option in the opening game, facing the Lakers with a depleted roster.