Sometimes the game forces your hand, and LeBron James knows that better than anyone. He had eased in as the third option while Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic took over, but injuries changed everything overnight. Suddenly, at 41, he was back leading from the front. It is not always a smooth switch. With the Oklahoma City Thunder up next and Doncic out, the pressure only builds, making an already tough situation feel even more uneasy.
For most of his career, LeBron has served as the first option on every team he has played for. He surely can tap back into his primary role and steer a game. But in the present picture, “It’s definitely not the situation that I would want to be in under the circumstances,” he said on Mind The Game. Bron added, “I wouldn’t want to do it under the circumstances that we’re in when we’re losing an MVP-caliber player in Luka to start the playoffs. And we’re losing a 25-plus-point scorer, rising player, Austin Reaves, to start a series.”
Right before the April 2 injury, Luka Doncic averaged 7.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.4 assists over 16 games. Meanwhile, Austin Reaves averaged 21.5 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game. “You never want to go into the postseason and not have your guys, your soldiers,” James added.
During their March run, the Lakers had finally found their rhythm at the right time. They went 15-2, playing confident basketball, and everyone understood their role on the team. It had taken months to build that chemistry and get healthy together. But just as things were clicking, a couple of bad games and setbacks quickly wiped out that momentum, leaving them scrambling after looking like a well-oiled unit.
“And then obviously the OKC game happens,” LeBron James recalled. On April 2, Luka sustained a Grade 2 hamstring injury. Thus ending his playoff dreams for at least the first round. Meanwhile, Austin Reaves sustained an oblique strain that kept him out until Game 5 vs the Rockets. Following their 139-96 loss that day, the Lakers went to Dallas and lost 128-134 to the Mavericks.
And under LeBron James’ leadership, LA went past the Houston Rockets, 4-2 in the first round. The 41-year-old superstar averaged 23.2 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.2 rebounds in 6 games in the 2026 playoffs. That’s not all, he played as an orchestrator, creating space and chances for his teammates to score. And that changed everything for the LA Lakers.
Now, the first step of the postseason felt seemingly smooth. But the next round is not going to be easy. Especially with Luka Doncic out, the Lakers have to find a way to hold out the OKC Thunder.
Luka Doncic remains out against OKC
The Los Angeles Lakers head into their second-round clash with the Oklahoma City Thunder carrying more questions than answers, and Luka Doncic sits at the center of it all. After closing out the Houston Rockets in 6 games, powered by LeBron James and the return of Austin Reaves, the mood should feel confident. Instead, concern lingers. The Thunder present a far tougher challenge, especially with LA sitting at 0-4 against them this season.
Doncic remains out indefinitely with a grade 2 hamstring injury suffered over a month ago, and the wait continues without a clear return date. Meanwhile, insider Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated added more uncertainty to the mix. “He will reportedly miss the first two games against the Thunder and is still considered week-to-week.”
However, Brian Windhorst painted an even tougher picture on ESPN’s Get Up. “He is not close. There is a whole ramp-up that’s required when you are coming back from a hamstring. He has not started that contact ramp-up yet,” he said, before adding, “Do not expect to see Luka in the first few games of this series.” With Shams Charania already signaling an absence to start the series, the Lakers now brace for a long stretch without their star.
At the same time, OKC arrives with numbers that scream dominance, owning a 64-18 record and a .780 win rate, and more tellingly, a ruthless 4-0 sweep of the Lakers with a staggering 29.3-point average margin. Meanwhile, the Lakers sit at 53-29 with a .646 mark, solid yet clearly trailing. Then comes Luka Doncic’s absence, and the slide sharpens, as their win rate drops from 67.2% to 55.6%, a shift that reshapes everything.
Therefore, the task ahead is mammoth. And in Luka Doncic’s absence, a lot depends on LeBron James. He’s sure he can push his team ahead. But it’s definitely not the kind of situation he wants to be in at this stage of his 23-year-old career.
