LeBron James finds himself in a familiar position. Despite being 41, he is once again carrying his team. Injuries to key players have forced him to step up.
James Takes on a Familiar Role
James would have expected to play a supporting role. However, injuries have meant he has assumed a familiar role. He must be so sick of this.
If he wanted to experience being the best player on an otherwise thin team, he could simply remember the Cleveland Cavaliers’ run to the NBA finals in 2007. Or the 2015 NBA finals when his best teammates, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, suffered injuries. Or the 2018 season, which convinced SNL to make a spoof of James’ support staff.
It’s 2026, James is a Los Angeles Laker, his two best teammates are hurt, and one of his kids actually is on the team.
Injuries Hit Key Players
The story of his season was his labored yet successful pivot into the Lakers’ third option, behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. Dončić was having one of the best stretches of his career before tweaking his hamstring in a humiliating loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Reaves strained his oblique in the same game.
James has been plagued with what some observers may call old guy injuries. He missed the start of the season due to sciatica. He’s sat out a couple games since thanks to arthritis in his left foot.
Dončić and Reaves are out indefinitely. Asked recently what his team now needs from him, James said, “everything, so nothing changes for me. Just back to the old ways.”
Lakers Face Rockets in Playoffs
James has at least one thing going for him: the Lakers are playing the dysfunctional Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. This version of the Rockets, without vital contributors in Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, are capable of blowing a 13-point lead in overtime.
Kevin Durant recently hurt his knee in practice, forcing him out of Saturday night’s series opener, which the Lakers won 107-98. The Rockets’ offense is poor at the best of times, but removing KD is like taking the bacon and bread off a BLT.
James did not carry the Lakers in Saturday’s win, though the Rockets offered so little resistance that he never had to try. Luke Kennard had 27 points. James had 19, and so did Deandre Ayton.
If James can prolong the Lakers’ run, Dončić and Reaves may have time to come back and restore the team to its best possible form, but there are no guarantees.