During the Lakers’ recent blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, superstar Luka Dončić sustained a hamstring injury early in the third quarter. To add insult to injury — literally — the 139-96 routing was arguably the worst loss of the entire season.
Of course, fans from both teams in the arena were disappointed to see the six-time All-Star leave the floor, but fans online were just getting started with JJ Redick. The young head coach faced criticism for allowing Dončić to play during the blowout, but he defended his decision in the post-game press conference, saying “he was good enough to play.”
The Fallout After Oklahoma City
The news of Luka’s injury had spread like a California wildfire throughout Los Angeles. Fans received another gut punch when Shams Charania announced that star combo guard Austin Reaves will be sidelined for four-to-six weeks due to a Grade 2 oblique strain.
Alongside their star backcourt, point-of-attack defender Marcus Smart is also sidelined with an ankle injury. With the 2026 NBA Playoffs approaching, the Lakers’ chances of advancing past the first round have significantly diminished after losing their star backcourt.
Losing all three guards has devastated both their offense and defense. At this rate, Redick will need to rely on one of the all-time greats — LeBron James — more than ever.
Leaning on LeBron
It’s clear that the challenge grows exponentially, but the Lakers have no choice but to push through into the playoffs. During practice on Sunday afternoon, Redick shared his thoughts about their upcoming challenge as they advance further into the Spring season.
As of April 8, the Lakers are on a collision course with the Houston Rockets after the Denver Nuggets passed them for the No. 4 seed in the tight Western Conference standings.
James will have to fend off rising stars Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and his old friend, Kevin Durant. All four have gone to war three times this year, with LeBron averaging 22.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in those games.
Most people may see the injured co-stars as a burden on the 41-year-old, but it’s a good opportunity to show the front office he is worthy of keeping around next year.
Although there’s no clear status on his desire to play during the 2026-27 season, there’s a higher probability he’ll stay to avenge an unsatisfying end to what was shaping up to be an interesting season for the Lakers.
Defeating Father Time
LeBron has already defied the odds at his age. He has stayed healthy over the past few months, currently averaging 20.8 points, 7.1 assists, and 6.1 rebounds. He recently finished with 30 points, nine rebounds, and a season-high 15 assists against the Cooper Flagg-led Dallas Mavericks.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, losing 134-128, but the loss only affected their egos since the Lakers have already clinched their playoff spot. They still have a chance to raise the elusive 18th championship banner, and LeBron will have the opportunity to remind the world of his postseason powers.
The four-time Finals MVP has averaged 28.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in 292 career playoff games. In seven years donning the purple and gold, he has accumulated a 28-25 record in the playoffs. Lack of star power on this run will force him to replicate a similar performance to their title run in 2020. The question is, after finally shining as a role player down the stretch, can he turn back into that all-powerful engine?
Luckily, the 23-year veteran has experienced the exact same situation during his days with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Eleven years ago, James lost All-Star teammates Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to injuries on his way to the 2015 NBA Finals.
Losing two future Hall of Famers forced LeBron to average 30.2 points in the Eastern Conference Finals and 35.8 points in the Finals, where he lost 4-2 to the Golden State Warriors.
So, he’ll operate with a level of discomfort rarely seen in such circumstances. It’s clear the King’s back is against the wall, but if anyone is able to win with a hindered Lakers team, it’s the all-time leading scorer in the history of the league.
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