LeBron James Goes Back to Old Ways to Keep Lakers Alive Without Luka Doncic

LeBron James did not expect to be carrying the Los Angeles Lakers' offense alone in April. But with Luka Doncic out and Austin Reaves also sidelined, that is exactly where he finds himself with the playoffs one week away.

James spoke at the postgame press conference after putting up 28 points, 12 assists, six rebounds, and four steals in a 101-73 win over the Phoenix Suns. He also became just the fourth player in NBA history to record 12,000 career assists that night.

When asked about being the primary offensive option, James was honest about where things stand.

"Sounds pretty cool. Sounds pretty good. I would [have] loved to get that 3-0 nod though. But just trying to make plays, I had to tap back into a role that I've been accustomed to in the past, but obviously it wasn't what it was this year. But circumstances have put me back in, and I'm just trying to feed up my teammates, teammates feeding off of me and just trying to make things happen for us to stay afloat."
Lebron James

For most of this season, James shared the load with Doncic and Reaves in a system built around all three. That version of the Lakers is gone for now, and James is stepping back into a version of himself this team was never designed around.

LeBron James on What the Lakers Need From Him in the 2026 NBA Playoffs

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James — LeBron James | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

On home-court advantage ahead of a likely first-round matchup with the Houston Rockets, James kept things realistic.

"We'll see. Obviously, we're gonna be able to feed off our crowd, that's gonna be great. [Having] home court, that's great for our fans but the game is played in between the four lines, so it doesn't give us an advantage. It's about what you do in between the four lines."
Lebron James

The problem is that home court means very little without the players to back it up. Doncic's return date remains unclear, and Reaves was given a four-to-six week initial timeline, meaning both are expected to miss at least the start of the postseason.

When asked what the team needs from him most, James pointed to leadership over heroics.

"I don't know, just stay even keel. I think at the end of the day, you don't wanna get too high, never get too low. Obviously, the postseason is gonna bring so much more, even more intensified moments. So just staying even keel, using my knowledge of the game, the way I approach the game, the way I lead the game. Guys [are] gonna lean on me and [at] times I lean on them too. It's a collective group effort."
Lebron James

The Lakers currently don't seem to be in shape for this playoff run. But LeBron James has been here before, and he knows it. Whether that is enough against a 5th or 6th seed playoff team is the real question heading into April 18.

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