NBA Playoffs: Rockets and Spurs secure commanding 3-1 series leads in Western Conference

The Houston Rockets have secured a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, routing their opponents 115-96 in a contest where discipline proved decisive. Despite playing without star Kevin Durant, the Rockets forced 24 turnovers from the Lakers, converting those mistakes into 30 points to fuel a comprehensive victory. Amen Thompson scored 23 points for Houston, helping the team attempt to become the first NBA franchise to rally from a 0-3 deficit to win a playoff series.

In the same conference bracket, the San Antonio Spurs took a 3-1 series lead over the Portland Trail Blazers with a 114-93 victory. The match marked a significant moment for Spurs centre Victor Wembanyama, who returned from concussion protocol to score 27 points. Wembanyama recorded 11 rebounds, three assists, four steals, and seven blocked shots in the win, leading his team to a commanding position as they prepare to host game five on Tuesday.

Wembanyama, who was named the 2026 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and is a candidate for Most Valuable Player, expressed dissatisfaction with the NBA concussion protocol process following his return. While he praised the doctors who oversaw his recovery, he described the way the situation was handled as very disappointing, declining to elaborate further on the specific aspects of the protocol that caused his frustration.

Elsewhere in the Western Conference, the Boston Celtics took a 3-1 lead against the Philadelphia 76ers with a dominant 128-96 victory. The game saw the return of Joel Embiid for Philadelphia, who played his first match since undergoing emergency appendectomy surgery on 9 April. However, the Celtics overwhelmed the 76ers, leading by 16 points after one quarter and scoring 24 three-pointers to secure the win.

In the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors levelled their series against the Cleveland Cavaliers at 2-2 with a 93-89 victory. Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram each scored 23 points for the Raptors, who survived a late rally from Cleveland. The Raptors trailed by five with 2:10 remaining but surged ahead with a nine-point scoring burst in the final minutes to seal the game.

The performance of LeBron James was limited for the Lakers, who were already struggling without injured stars Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. James scored 10 points on 2-of-9 shooting and committed eight turnovers. Centre Deandre Ayton led the Lakers with 19 points and 10 rebounds but was ejected in the third quarter after a foul involving Rockets centre Alperen Sengun, leaving Los Angeles to fight the deficit alone.