FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

As long as LeBron James is suiting up for the Lakers, they remain a dangerous playoff team.

LOS ANGELES – With the Lakers playing without Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić for the rest of the regular season, plenty of people have written LA off. That’s understandable, as most teams can’t get far without their two top scorers.

However, those teams aren’t the Lakers, and they don’t employ LeBron James.

In LA’s road win over Golden State on Thursday, LeBron was brilliant. He finished the night with 26 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists to help end the Lakers’ three-game losing streak.

With the Lakers scheduled to play another game Friday night at home, LeBron, as the NBA’s oldest player, suited up for the back-to-back and raised his level of play once again.

James dominated, leading the Lakers in points, assists, steals and minutes played, lifting them past the Suns 101-73.

The back-to-back wins, paired with the Rockets’ loss to the Wolves, mean the lowest seed the Lakers can finish is fourth.

When Dončić and Reaves went down, and they lost three straight, having home court seemed like an impossibility, and even head coach JJ Redick said seeding was “out the window.”

Thanks to James’ efforts, LA will remain a top seed in a very competitive Western Conference.

“We’re gonna need him to facilitate,” Redick said postgame. “We’re gonna need him to score. We’re gonna need him to defend and rebound. I think he recognizes the task at hand. He’s very locked in. He’s played great all three games.”

It was clear from the jump that LeBron was ready to compete at a high level on Friday night.

After winning a title together on the Heat in 2006, Shaq and Pat Riley couldn’t hold it together and turned on each other pretty fast. I guess when you’re used to winning, you really can’t tolerate losing and someone must be blamed. For Riley, Shaq fit the bill. And for Shaq, well, how dare Pat Riley do such a thing. So, naturally, you get two guys in each other faces ready to kill each other because Jason Williams was late to practice one day. In other words, you get beef. Please enjoy this heaping helping of Miami beef.

He knocked down a corner three early on to put himself on the board. James then hits a trio of free throws and then another three. Then, the league’s all-time leading scorer completed this scoring outburst with an emphatic dunk.

His two-handed slam shook the basket and rocked the crowd. With 4:53 left to go in the opening quarter, James had 14 points, which was as many as Phoenix had as a team.

This isn’t new for LeBron. He has been the best player and top performer on each team he’s been on throughout most of his NBA career.

But this season, with Luka cemented as the clear No. 1 and Reaves establishing himself as No. 2, LeBron had to embrace being the third-most-important player.

To his credit, he’s done that and sacrificed for the betterment of the team. Now, due to injuries to the top guys, they’ve needed LeBron to go back in his closet and pull out his Superman cape. Luckily for the Lakers, it still fits perfectly, and he knows what to do with it.

“Just trying to make plays,” LeBron said. 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 off my teammates, teammates feeding off of me and just trying to make things happen for us to continue to stay afloat.”

As is typical of LeBron’s performances, he dominated all phases of the game. In the first half, his scoring shined, but in the second, it was his defense that stood out.

LeBron was as alert as ever, swatting at balls and intercepting passes. Three of his four steals came after halftime.

In the fourth, James’ on-ball creation was on full display. He was dishing out dimes that led to easy dunks for Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber. This put the game to rest early, allowing LeBron to check out at the 6:19 mark.

With just one contest left, the Lakers can still reach the third seed if they win and the Nuggets lose.

Whether that happens or not, what’s clear is that LeBron playing at this level gives the Lakers a puncher’s chance at taking down any of the teams they’ll play in a seven-game series.

And this late in the season, that’s all any team can ask for.

😮 The Spurs now have huge incentive to go beat Denver on Sunday.Why? Because a Nuggets loss combined with Lakers win vs. Utah could drop Denver to 4th seed and elevate the Lakers to 3rd in a tight seeding race.This bracket manipulation avoids a direct second round clash with… pic.twitter.com/LMewffGA0s— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) April 11, 2026

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

Lakers win as teams eye matchups and play the standings.

The Lakers got an important win, beating the Suns 101–73 and securing home court advantage for the playoffs. It was also one of many games across the NBA last night shaped by calculations. Some teams rested key players, like the Suns did, while others looked to manipulate the standings, either for better lottery odds or more favorable playoff matchups.

This was the Lakers’ 52nd win of the season, another impressive achievement for a team that navigated a disjointed year marked by multiple injury absences.

Raj C.
@RajChipalu
52 wins ties the most since the 2019-2020 title season.

Have to go back 15 years in 2010-2011 (57) to find a season they won more games than this year.

No matter how this shakes out, staff and players deserve a ton of credit for this year.

10:12 PM · Apr 10, 2026 · 13.6K Views
10 Replies · 126 Reposts · 788 Likes

Not only is this the Lakers’ best regular season record since the 2019–20 title year, it’s also JJ Redick’s second straight 50-win season. Like the rest of the team, Redick had his ups and downs, but he and his staff deserve real credit for how they navigated this year.

Today’s notes:

Hard to read these games, but business had to be done

LeBron, Kennard and Rui’s offensive groove (VIDEO)

Marcus Smart back to doing smart things (VIDEO)

Ball-handling questions heading into the playoffs (VIDEO)

Everyone wants the Lakers in round one

1-Hard to read these games, but business had to be done

This was the second straight game the Lakers played against an opponent sitting key players. The Suns were without their top two on-ball creators in Devin Booker and Jalen Green, and their other guards, Grayson Allen and Collin Gillespie, only played the first half. With no real playmaking, ball-handling, or shooting, Phoenix struggled to generate any offense throughout the game. The only thing that kept them afloat early was crashing the glass off their frequent misses in the first half. Without their primary ball-handlers, the Suns fell apart offensively, with 23 turnovers and just 7-of-40 (18%) from three. Their 82.5 points per 100 possessions was the worst scoring output of any Lakers opponent this season.

To the Lakers’ credit, they played hard from the start, preventing the Suns from finding any rhythm or confidence. Their first-shot defense was at a high level for most of the night. Still, it’s very hard to take anything meaningful from these end-of-season games, when most teams are simply trying to get to the playoffs, or in the Suns’ case, the play-in, healthy.

2-LeBron, Kennard and Rui’s offensive groove (VIDEO)

The Lakers playing their last two games against lesser opposition was a much-needed break, giving the team time to adjust after the shock of the Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves injuries, and to recalibrate while establishing a new pecking order.

LeBron as the hub of the offense, Luke Kennard as the secondary playmaker, and Rui Hachimura as a second or third scoring option found a good rhythm and balance over the last two games.

LeBron had another impressive game with 28 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals. The 41-year-old set the tone from the start, scoring 14 points in the first quarter. Finding a rhythm in his jump shot, something that wasn’t there for most of the season, is crucial if the Lakers are to have any chance in the playoffs. Over the last two games, LeBron made 10-of-18 (55.6%) jump shots from outside the paint. Before that, he was at 34.8% (143-of-411) on the season.

Kennard keeps impressing in his extended starting role. He scored 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting, while adding three assists and three steals last night. LeBron and Kennard have established strong chemistry, especially in their two-man actions designed to get James a mismatch on the wing. These are the same sets we’ve seen James and Marcus Smart run earlier in the season. Postgame, James credited it to their smarts and knowledge of the game, and Kennard’s ability not just to pop and shoot, but also to roll, cut, and pass has made these actions particularly dangerous.

3-Marcus Smart back to doing smart things (VIDEO)

Smart has been one of the better success stories not only for the Lakers, but across the NBA this season. After two seasons marked by trades, injuries, and uncompetitive situations, seeing him contribute to winning basketball again feels well deserved for the former Defensive Player of the Year.

In the aftermath of the Dončić and Reaves injuries, I wrote about how Smart’s earlier absence was the first domino, creating a cascading effect on the workload of the other starters, because there is no other player on the roster who can replicate his skill set. Maybe his return after missing the previous nine games came too late, given the unfortunate events that followed, but it was still great to see him back on the court. Doing Smart things.

Smart had 6 points, 7 assists, and his usual 2 steals and 1 block in 19 minutes. His ability to contribute alongside Kennard as a secondary ball-handler and decision-maker will be key to any Lakers first-round upset hopes.

4-Ball-handling questions heading into the playoffs (VIDEO)

The Lakers didn’t face much of the usual Suns pressure we’ve seen in previous matchups, but when Phoenix turned it up in the third quarter, Hachimura and LaRavia struggled to handle the press.

This is why Smart and Kennard will be key at the start of the playoffs, trying to relieve LeBron of as much ball-handling duty as possible and taking on more of the responsibility bringing the ball up. Especially if the Lakers face an aggressive, pressure-heavy team like the Rockets. Heavy on-ball duties aren’t ideal for either of them, but the Lakers don’t have many other options.

5-Everyone wants the Lakers in round one

I mentioned teams going into calculation mode, trying to play the standings. The Nuggets rested all of their starters and still beat the Thunder, who also sat most of their key players. Without Dončić and Reaves, the Lakers have become the most attractive first-round opponent, something Redick and his staff are well aware of.

Daniel Starkand
@DStarkand
JJ Redick knows everyone wants to play the Lakers in the playoffs.

“Clearly there’s some teams that are… I’m sure everyone wants to play us, let’s get that out there. Everybody wants to play us. There’s probably teams that are in position where they can start looking forward

6:15 PM · Apr 10, 2026 · 29.2K Views
3 Replies · 29 Reposts · 475 Likes

There is just one game day left in the NBA regular season, with all teams playing Game 82 on Sunday. At the top of the West, only one spot remains undecided, the Lakers and Nuggets battling for the third seed.

Mike Trudell
@LakersReporter
LA, up 98-71 with 56.9 left, lock up home court for Round 1.

HOU is locked into the No. 5 seed, and the Wolves the No. 6.

Denver can lock in the No. 3 seed with a win at SAS; if so, LA would be No. 4 and host HOU.

If DEN loses and LA win, LA would be No. 3 and host MIN.
9:56 PM · Apr 10, 2026 · 19.2K Views
3 Replies · 52 Reposts · 385 Likes
Their win over the Thunder put the Nuggets in control of their own fate, but the Spurs could still have a say in who they prefer to face in the second round.

Rob Perez
@WorldWideWob
So…it’s in San Antonio’s best interest to run Denver out of the gym Sunday, right?

If Denver loses and LA wins (will be heavy favorites vs. UTA), the Spurs will have to face only one of DEN/OKC in the playoffs.
9:16 PM · Apr 10, 2026 · 182K Views
71 Replies · 102 Reposts · 2.55K Likes

Victor Wembanyama reached the 65-game threshold with a 40-point performance against Dallas last night (his official total still shows 64, but the NBA Cup final counts toward the threshold). Nikola Jokić, meanwhile, still needs to play in the final game to get there. How the Spurs and Nuggets approach their final matchup will be something to watch on Sunday.

Luke Kennard sees why the Lakers might be written off but is ready to prove them wrong:“We have LeBron and the way he’s been playing/leading us is incredible. No matter who we play, we will be ready on Game 1. They will come to LA first and we’re ready.” pic.twitter.com/bzlWurxdEl— LakersMuse (@LALMuse) April 11, 2026

“Two cerebral basketball players. That's why it's seamless. He's smart as hell. I'm smart as hell at this game. … It does seem like we've been playing for a while as teammates, but that’s just the knowledge of the game” – LeBron James on his instant chemistry with Luke Kennard pic.twitter.com/VAEJhFqR8e— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 11, 2026

"It's definitely going to be a challenge. … I'm excited about the challenge. I know it doesn't seem like we are as a team, but we are. We're trying to figure it out, and I think that's what makes it fun for us, right?" – Marcus Smart on the predicament the Lakers are in pic.twitter.com/rEabotWURC— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 11, 2026

JJ Redick on the defensive effort and what this group has pushed through this season:“I thought the whole game our defense was really physical, outside of a couple mishaps, I thought we talked pregame a lot about just being able to execute our coverages… I think our guys did a… pic.twitter.com/jYaGfNWDYK— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 11, 2026

Lebron James post partido: “Realmente extraño a mis muchachos (Luka y Austin). Ya estoy viejo para estas corridas, pero es bueno demostrarle a los haters que tengo combustible en el tanque”.Viejo querido, no te retires nunca 🥹 pic.twitter.com/pjT9yMF5HF— Bad Luka (@Lukarg77) April 11, 2026

DEANDRE AYTON TONIGHT 30 minutes 10 points 5 rebounds 4/8 FG +19 +/-WE NEED DOMINAYTON pic.twitter.com/RVeQWwoiZr— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) April 11, 2026

RUI HACHIMURA TONIGHT 31 minutes 13 points 3 assists 2/3 3PT +28 +/-I LOVE RUI ‍ pic.twitter.com/JhvnxQg6VU— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) April 11, 2026