If LeBron James carries the Lakers past the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, it would be his greatest achievement yet.
The Lakers are missing their two top players in Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique). They’re down 60 points a game.
The good news? Their third option is James. The bad news? He’s 41 years old.
James has had so many stunning feats throughout his 23-season career.
He carried a Cavaliers team to the 2007 Finals with guys on the roster named Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes and Sasha Pavlovic.
He took the 2018 Cavaliers to the Finals after Kyrie Irving left the team.
He orchestrated the greatest comeback in NBA history, leading the Cavaliers to claw their way out of a 3-1 series deficit in the 2016 Finals against the Warriors.
But if he can lead this haphazard Laker group out of the first round of the playoffs against Kevin Durant and co. at this stage of his career, that would be his greatest accomplishment.
He’s arguably the greatest player of all-time. If James gets the Lakers into the second round of the playoffs, that qualifier would no longer be necessary.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Rockets are favorites to win the series at -600.
That spread is huge. But in reality, it should even be larger.
The Lakers’ morale is down. They’re still shocked that just 1 1/2 weeks ago, they were considered championship contenders. They had gone on a 15-2 run in March, including beating the Rockets in consecutive games. Doncic had averaged 37.5 points a game over that period and was a top MVP contender.
Then, in a whiplash-inducing turn of events, the team’s two top scorers suffered injuries during a game against the Thunder on April 2. Doncic and Reaves are likely to be sidelined through the first round of the playoffs.
It was a stunning blow that has left the team reeling and scrambling ahead of Game 1 of their first-round series against the Rockets, which begins Saturday in Los Angeles.
The Rockets are a deep and physical squad. Durant is arguably the greatest scorer of all-time and he’s flanked by young guns Alperen Segun and Amen Thompson. They closed the season winning nine of their last 10 games.
Facing them?
A guy who’s contemplating retirement, playing alongside a group of role players and G-Leaguers.
James went from being the team’s third option to their first. Luke Kennard went from being a 3-point specialist to the team’s primary ball-handler. The inconsistent Deandre Ayton went from being “a nice to have” to “vital.” The whole roster is having to shapeshift within a week.
James’ basketball resume is already eye popping. He led 10 teams to the Finals, winning four championships. He’s the league’s all-time leading scorer and has the most All-Star selections (22) in NBA history.
But if he can get the Lakers past the Rockets as the first and only player who’s played in his 23rd season, that would be incredible.
James had already been written off multiple times this season.
When he missed the first 14 games of the season because of sciatica, there were questions over his health. He went on to play in 60 of the next 68 games after he returned, including multiple back-to-backs.
And when Doncic and Reaves shined while he was sidelined for three games in early March, multiple pundits claimed the Lakers were better without him and it was time for him to retire.
James saw the chemistry between Doncic and Reaves. He didn’t want to interfere. He wanted to augment it. So, he became a role player for the first time in his career, playing behind the two stars and making the Lakers’ offense spectacular.
That seemed natural for a 41-year-old.
But once again, James is proving there’s something supernatural about him.
As soon as Doncic and Reaves were sidelined, James immediately stepped into the role of a superstar again. He turned it back on with shocking ease, averaging 28 points (60% shooting from the field, 46% from behind the 3-point line), 12.7 assists and 7.7 rebounds in his first three games without them.
It’s quite an uptick from the 17.5 points a game he had averaged as the team’s third option since March 17.
Now comes his biggest challenge yet.
The Lakers are outmatched. They’re demoralized. And they’re playing Durant, who’s foaming at the mouth for a deep playoff run after missing the postseason the last two years with the Suns. Durant has help. James is all alone.
Can a player who’s two decades older than many guys in the league carry this depleted Laker team past an elite group in a seven-game playoff series?
That’s exhausting. That’s ridiculous. That’s impossible.
But if he can find a way, that would be stunning.
