LeBron James said on April 18 that he considers the Oklahoma City Thunder the favorites to win another NBA championship, as the postseason begins. The comment comes after the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a significant loss to the Thunder earlier in April, with injuries affecting key players Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
James made his remarks during his ‘Mind the Game’ podcast following a discussion with Steve Nash about which team is best positioned for another title run. “I would agree, I would agree with you when it comes to OKC,” James said. “I think they’ve shown the level of excellence over the last few years and playing at a high level and not getting complacent. Even in the regular season, it doesn’t matter if they’re playing a team above .500 or under .500, they go out and play. It doesn’t mean they’ve won every game, but they’ve won a majority of them and they’re the reigning champs with the MVP on their team. So, you look at them as the team to beat, as the favorite and that’s rightfully so.”
The Thunder finished another strong regular season despite dealing with injuries among key players such as Jalen Williams, who played only 33 games due to hand and hamstring issues. Other contributors like Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, and Ajay Mitchell also missed significant time but are expected back for playoffs.
Analysts note that while teams like Denver Nuggets or San Antonio Spurs could challenge Oklahoma City in later rounds—and possibly even an improved Lakers squad—the Thunder’s full-strength roster positions them well for another deep playoff run.
Looking ahead for Los Angeles, if they advance past their first-round opponent in this year’s playoffs, their next matchup will likely be against defending champion Oklahoma City—a difficult task given recent performances and lingering injury concerns.
James’s own future remains uncertain regarding whether he will return for another season with Los Angeles or retire from basketball altogether. Recent reports indicate he may not want a farewell tour when he eventually decides to leave professional basketball.
