Jaxson Hayes was a full participant in Lakers practice this week, and JJ Redick said Friday the center should be ready for his role when Los Angeles opens its playoff series against the Rockets. Hayes had been dealing with a sore foot and missed the final four regular-season games, but the Lakers expect him to be part of the rotation when the first-round matchup begins.
That matters because Los Angeles opened the series without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, leaving the frontcourt as one of the team’s most important areas of stability. Hayes averaged 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 18.3 minutes per game this season, and his size will be needed against a Houston team built around Alperen Sengun and Clint Capela at center.
The Rockets bring a clear physical edge into the matchup. They were the NBA’s leading rebounding team and held a 34.8% offensive rebounding edge, while also ranking 25th in 3-pointers made and 25th with a 76.3% free-throw percentage. For the Lakers, that makes the job less about style than survival: finishing possessions, limiting second chances and keeping Houston off the glass.
Jarred Vanderbilt said the Lakers are ready for that challenge. “It’s the playoffs, so, the stage is already set,” he said, adding that the intensity is already high and never goes away. Vanderbilt said teams will make runs and “punch you in the mouth,” but Los Angeles has to respond, and he said the level should stay high for a group with championship expectations.
The tension in this series is simple. Houston’s advantages are the kind that show up in every possession, while the Lakers are waiting on key bodies and leaning on a center just back from a foot issue. If Hayes can hold up physically, Los Angeles has a better chance of matching Houston’s size; if he cannot, the Rockets’ rebounding edge could define the series before it settles into anything else.