Lakers Secure Victory Despite LeBron's Injury Scare

LeBron James, the star player of the Lakers, cautiously made his way to the bench after clutching his left leg during the middle of the third quarter. For the Lakers, this was far from ideal on a night where they had the chance to secure a spot in the playoffs under favorable conditions.

Defeating the Rockets, who were missing 80% of their starting lineup, would have ensured the Lakers a No. 3 seed. This would allow the team, especially their starters, a valuable extended break before the first round of the playoffs, set to start in over a week at their home arena.

However, losing James to a groin injury could shatter their championship aspirations. Without him, players like Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves stepped up, taking it in turns to dismantle the Rockets’ backup defense. Yet, the Lakers needed assurance that their 40-year-old star player was in good health, and fortunately, he seems to be just fine.

In the final quarter, after Reaves caused rookie Jack McVeigh to stumble, James stood up to celebrate by walking to the basket and then moonwalked back to his seat. This was one of several moments he celebrated during the Lakers’ commanding 140-109 victory—an outcome that rendered their last game in Portland meaningless for playoff positioning.

This ensures that Sunday can be a day of rest for the Lakers’ top players as they await confirmation of their playoff opponents, with the advantage of hosting a Game 1 in Los Angeles for the first time since the 2012 playoffs.

After the game, Lakers coach JJ Redick reassured everyone about James’s condition, stating that he is “fine.”

In what might have been his final regular season game, Doncic delivered an impressive performance, racking up 39 points on just 19 shot attempts in 31 minutes. Reaves contributed 23 points, Dorian Finney-Smith added 18, and Rui Hachimura chipped in with 16 points. James, leaving the game after 22 minutes, contributed 14 points and eight assists. The Lakers achieved their 50th win this season by shooting an outstanding 61.6% from the field, marking their best shooting night of the season.