Lakers vs. Rockets prediction, odds, spread, Game 4 time: 2026 NBA playoff picks for Sunday, April 26

The Los Angeles Lakers will aim to sweep the Houston Rockets when the two meet on Sunday in Game 4 of their first-round series in the NBA playoffs 2026. Los Angeles (53-29) took a 3-0 series lead with a comeback 112-108 overtime victory on Friday, and no team in NBA postseason history has ever blown a 3-0 series lead. Houston (52-30) remains without Kevin Durant (ankle), while the Lakers are still without Luka Doncic (hamstring). Meanwhile, Austin Reaves (oblique) is listed as questionable.

Tipoff is at 9:30 p.m. ET at the Toyota Center in Houston. L.A. has now won seven straight playoff games over Houston. The latest Rockets vs. Lakers odds from FanDuel Sportsbook have Houston as a 2.5-point favorite, while the over/under for total points scored is 205.5. Before making any Lakers vs. Rockets picks, check out the Rockets vs. Lakers predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered the first full week of the 2026 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 24-9 roll (73%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.

Now, the model has simulated Rockets vs. Lakers 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Lakers vs. Rockets: 

Top Lakers vs. Rockets predictions

After 10,000 simulations of Rockets vs. Lakers, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (205.5). For over-under betting, this series shifting to Houston finally saw more points on the scoreboard as the Over hit for the first time in the series in Game 3. These teams playing in Houston has a knack for being more high-scoring than them meeting in L.A. based on recent history. The Over is 4-1 over their last five matchups in Texas and is 7-3 over their last 10 meetings in Houston.

Both teams’ depth have been on display this series, and the model calls for a dozen players to score in double-figures — six for each team. That allows the teams to combine for 215 points, per 10,000 model simulations. The Over hits 58% of the time, making it a great selection for anybody targeting NBA parlay betting. See the Rockets vs. Lakers spread pick at SportsLine, and you can bet the Over in Lakers vs. Rockets at FanDuel here:

How to make Lakers vs. Rockets picks

After simulating each possession of Rockets vs. Lakers 10,000 times, the model also says one side of the spread that hits well over 50% of the time. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NBA picks. 

So who wins Rockets vs. Lakers, and which side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Lakers vs. Rockets spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.