Houston Rockets Extend Lead as Boston Celtics Clinch Win and Embiid Returns

HOUSTON — The NBA playoffs delivered decisive results on Sunday night, as the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs took commanding leads in their first-round series while the Houston Rockets avoided elimination with a dominant performance against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Rockets Stun Lakers to Stay Alive

The Houston Rockets kept their playoff hopes alive with a resounding 115-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, cutting their best-of-seven Western Conference series deficit to 3-1. The Rockets, playing without star forward Kevin Durant, forced 24 turnovers and converted them into 30 points, overwhelming a Lakers team missing key scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Amen Thompson led Houston with 23 points, while Tari Eason added energy off the bench with a dunk-heavy performance. The Rockets built an early lead and never looked back, answering their crushing overtime loss in Game 3 with a statement win on their home court.

LeBron James struggled to make an impact for Los Angeles, finishing with just 10 points on 2-of-9 shooting from the field. The four-time NBA champion also committed eight turnovers while distributing nine assists. Center Deandre Ayton led the Lakers with 19 points and 10 rebounds before being ejected in the third quarter for an altercation with Rockets center Alperen Sengun.

“We knew we had to come out with urgency,” Thompson said after the game. “They were missing some key pieces, and we wanted to take advantage of that.”

The Lakers now face elimination when the series returns to Los Angeles for Game 5 on Wednesday.

Celtics Dominate 76ers in Embiid’s Return

In Philadelphia, the Boston Celtics spoiled Joel Embiid’s return from an appendectomy, routing the 76ers 128-96 to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series. Payton Pritchard led Boston with 32 points, including six three-pointers, while Jayson Tatum contributed 30 points and 11 assists.

The Celtics dominated from the start, building a 21-point halftime lead behind a 14-rebound advantage and a 13-0 edge in second-chance points. Philadelphia struggled to contain Boston’s balanced attack, with Jaylen Brown adding 20 points despite limited production from Tatum and Brown in the first half.

Embiid, who underwent an appendectomy on April 9, returned to action just 17 days later and scored 26 points in 34 minutes. The two-time NBA scoring champion started strong, scoring Philadelphia’s first eight points, but faded as the game progressed, missing seven consecutive shots at one point. Tyrese Maxey added 22 points for the 76ers, who now face a must-win Game 5 in Boston on Tuesday.

“We didn’t give him any breathing room,” Tatum said of Embiid’s return. “He’s a dominant player, but we wanted to make it tough on him from the start.”

Wembanyama Leads Spurs’ Rally

Victor Wembanyama made a triumphant return from a concussion to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 114-93 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, putting San Antonio on the brink of advancing with a 3-1 series lead. The 7-foot-4 rookie scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and recorded seven blocked shots in a dominant all-around performance.

The Spurs overcame a 19-point deficit, rallying behind Wembanyama’s defensive presence and timely scoring. His return provided a spark for San Antonio, which had lost Game 3 without him.

“He changes the game on both ends,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We missed him last game, and it was great to have him back.”

Raptors Even Series with Cavaliers

Elsewhere, the Toronto Raptors evened their series with the Cleveland Cavaliers at two games apiece, winning 93-89 in Toronto. The game remained tight throughout, with neither team leading by more than six points in the second half. Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 24 points, while Donovan Mitchell scored 28 for Cleveland.

The NBA playoffs continue on Tuesday with Game 5 matchups in Boston and Los Angeles, where the Celtics and Lakers will look to close out their respective series.