LeBron James said on April 16 that the Los Angeles Lakers will need to be ready for more than just Kevin Durant as they face the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both sidelined due to injuries, James is expected to take on a larger role as the team’s primary creator.
The absence of key players puts additional pressure on James and highlights the challenge posed by a physical Rockets team led by Durant. “It’s the playoffs. You gotta be locked in,” James said after Thursday’s practice. “We’ve had some really good says over the last couple days and still have another one tomorrow and then a little bit of time off Saturday to prepare for Game 1.”
James also spoke about preparing for threats beyond Durant, emphasizing Houston’s depth. “I think the last time we was in Houston I told you all how great he’s been since he picked up a basketball,” James said of Durant. “So that’s one part of it, obviously we know that’s the head of the snake. But it’s the Houston Rockets and they have some damn good players on their team. It’s not just a KD team. It’s the whole group… They possess some really damn good players on the floor, and we have to be ready for all of that. From KD, to Sengun, to the Thompson twin, Jabari Smith, Eason, Sheppard. Everyone who goes on the floor is a threat and we have to be ready for that.”
The Lakers secured home-court advantage by winning their season series against Houston when Doncic and Reaves were available but now face questions about whether they can match Houston’s aggression without those key contributors.
Other Lakers such as Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Nick Smith Jr., and Bronny James are expected to play important roles during this playoff run.
Marcus Smart also commented recently about what awaits them against Houston: he warned his teammates not to let themselves get ‘punked’ by their opponents.
As LeBron James prepares for another postseason matchup with Kevin Durant—his first since meeting him in an NBA Finals—the outcome may depend heavily on how much he can inspire his teammates amid these challenges.
