Lakers Announce Historic LeBron James News During NBA Playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers are entering the postseason extremely shorthanded, as they're without both Luka Doncic, the NBA's scoring leader at 33.5 points per game, and starting guard Austin Reaves.

Both players were injured on April 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and while the Lakers are hopeful they could return at some point during the first-round series against the Houston Rockets, they're preparing to move forward without them, led by 41-year-old LeBron James.

The series tipped off Saturday night, and James immediately made his impact felt in the first quarter. Los Angeles shot over 70% from the field and held a 33–29 lead at the end of the period.

James scored just four points on 2-for-2 shooting, but he recorded a staggering eight assists, taking a familiar approach he's used in years past by getting his teammates involved early.

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With eight assists in the first quarter, the Lakers announced shortly after that it marked the most he's ever had in a single postseason quarter over the course of his 293-game playoff career.

"New playoff career-high," the Lakers posted.

He went into halftime with 10 assists and continues to defy the odds, all while trying to lead a Lakers team that caught fire over the final two months of the season. With the trio of James, Doncic, and Reaves clicking, the goal is to push into the second round and give them a chance to finally be healthy and on the court together for a full postseason series.

If L.A. can pull off the upset and knock off Houston, it would face the winner of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns.

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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 7:27 PM.