Lakers vs. Rockets prediction: Houston to win, LeBron James projected for big game in Game 4 [2026 NBA Playoffs]
Get Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets predictions for NBA Playoffs Sunday.

NBA Playoffs action continues on Sunday at 9:30 PM ET as the Los Angeles Lakers lock horns with the Houston Rockets in Game 4 of their 2026 NBA Playoffs series at Toyota Center.
Based on the latest simulation results and today’s injury reports, Dimers' advanced NBA model projects the Rockets as the most likely winner of the Lakers vs. Rockets Game 4 matchup.
This prediction follows the latest NBA Injury Report, which suggests the Rockets lineup will feature players like Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith, while the Lakers will rely on LeBron James, Luke Kennard and Rui Hachimura.
Luka Doncic will not be on the court, with the Slovenian star out for this one.
This article offers further insights into Sunday's matchup, including an expanded look at the predicted score, best bets and player prop picks.
Lakers vs. Rockets prediction: Who will win Game 4?
Using powerful machine learning and data, we have simulated the outcome of Sunday's NBA Playoffs matchup between the Lakers and Rockets, forming part of our NBA predictions coverage.
Our leading predictive model gives the Rockets a 64% chance of defeating the Lakers in Game 4 of the series. Our predicted final score has the Rockets winning 105-101.
According to our model, the Lakers (+3.5) have a 53% chance of covering the spread, while the 206.5-point over/under has a 53% chance of going over.
Lakers vs. Rockets Game 4 odds
We have researched the best NBA odds in America for this game, which are listed here:
| Bet Type | Lakers | Rockets |
|---|---|---|
| Spread | +3.5 (-105) | -3.5 (-115) |
| Moneyline | +145 | -162 |
| Total | o206.5 (-108) | u206.5 (-110) |
All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Lakers vs. Rockets picks and best bet for Game 4
After matching our predictions against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:
| Bet Type | Pick | Bet Now |
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Lakers +3.5 | -105 |
| Moneyline | Lakers | +145 |
| Total | Over 206.5 | -108 |
According to our best NBA bets for Sunday, the top play to make on this game is Lakers +3.5 at the spread.
These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.
Lakers vs. Rockets Game 4 player props
Looking for Lakers vs. Rockets NBA player props? We have crunched the numbers to project how each team's leading players will perform at Toyota Center.
LeBron James is expected to lead the Lakers with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists, while Alperen Sengun is projected to have 24 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists for the Rockets.

Check out our NBA player projections for a full range of projected box scores, including points, assists, rebounds and today's NBA first basket picks.
Lakers prediction
Our model's projected player stats for the Lakers are:
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | 3PM | DFS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeBron James | 26 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 55 |
| Luke Kennard | 14 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 29 |
| Rui Hachimura | 14 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 25 |
| Marcus Smart | 13 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 30 |
| Deandre Ayton | 12 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 27 |
Rockets prediction
Projected points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers made for the Rockets:
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | 3PM | DFS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alperen Sengun | 24 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 55 |
| Amen Thompson | 21 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 47 |
| Jabari Smith | 18 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 35 |
| Reed Sheppard | 17 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 36 |
| Tari Eason | 14 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 32 |
Lakers vs. Rockets Game 4 updates and essential details
Sunday's Game 4 between the Rockets and Lakers in the NBA Playoffs is scheduled to start at 9:30 PM ET.
- Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets
- Date: Sunday, April 26, 2026
- Time: 9:30 PM ET/6:30PM PT
- Venue: Toyota Center
- NBA Playoffs bracket: Updated NBA Playoffs bracket and schedule
The NBA Playoffs is an annual elimination tournament held to determine the league's champion.
Sixteen teams, including the Lakers and Rockets, made the 2026 NBA Playoffs, which includes four rounds: the First Round, Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and NBA Finals.
Each round is contested as a best-of-seven series, with the first team to four wins advancing to the next round until a champion is crowned.
NBA postseason promo code for Novig
Make the most of Dimers' Lakers vs. Rockets predictions by exploring the below offer from Novig.
Conclusion
We predict the Rockets, with a 64% win probability, will likely beat the Lakers in Sunday's NBA playoffs matchup.
Additional tools and information for betting safely can be found in our Responsible Gambling hub.



