LeBron anticipates playing alongside Bronny in the postseason.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The NBA playoffs are familiar territory for LeBron James. As the Los Angeles Lakers commence their first-round series against the Houston Rockets in Game 1 on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC), James will match Karl Malone and John Stockton for the most playoff appearances in league history with 19.
James, 41, is anticipating a new experience this postseason: playing alongside his 21-year-old son, Bronny James.
“Being on the court with him,” LeBron James stated after practice on Thursday, “is the most significant moment of my career, surpassing everything I have achieved. The fact that he has positioned himself to be called upon for a playoff game is quite extraordinary and impressive considering the challenges he has faced over the past couple of years.”
“He earned it, he deserves it, and he’ll be prepared.”
The second-year Lakers guard secured a spot in coach JJ Redick’s rotation late in the season after L.A.’s starting backcourt of Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique strain) were unavailable.
In the Lakers’ last six games, Bronny James averaged 7.2 points on 47.2% shooting (42.9% from beyond the arc), along with 1.8 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game.
“This is what I’ve always wanted,” Bronny remarked on Thursday. “My dream is to compete in the playoffs. I wasn’t able to participate in March, so this is a much larger stage, and I’m completely thrilled to be out there with my teammates.”
He missed the South Bay Lakers’ playoff run last month while being promoted from the G League to strengthen the Lakers’ bench following the injuries to Doncic and Reaves. He also did not play in March Madness during his sole college season, as USC finished with a 15-18 record and did not qualify for the NCAA tournament.
Although he participated in two playoff games against the Minnesota Timberwolves last year, he played only four minutes combined at the end of Games 1 and 3 when the Lakers were already facing significant defeats.
The No. 55 pick in the 2024 draft advanced from his rookie to sophomore seasons in the league, concluding this season with an average of 2.9 points on 40.9% shooting (38.6% from three-point range) and 1.2 assists, an increase from 2.3 points on 31.3% (28.1% from three) and 0.8 assists the previous year.
“We need everyone to contribute for the series,” Redick stated this week. “When you’re short-handed, he has to be ready. … I believe Bronny has made significant improvements. We have confidence in him. I trust his shooting ability based on his performance over the last two years in the G League. … He has also made considerable strides defensively, particularly in his body positioning both on and off the ball.”
Bronny’s father noted that the No. 4-seeded Lakers had “really good” practices in preparation for the No. 5-seed Rockets — although he addressed reporters with a hoarse voice as he was recovering from an illness.
“The only difference for me from the regular season to the postseason is an even greater focus,” LeBron James explained. “In the postseason, you know you will face the same team at least four times, so you must concentrate on them and understand their tendencies more thoroughly.”
The elder James’ approach has set a standard for his son and the team to emulate.
“He’s been in the playoffs countless times,” Bronny said. “He has won series and Finals. I think we just need to keep our minds and ears open and heed whatever he advises because he possesses the most knowledge. He shares that information because he wants to win. Therefore, we must listen to him to achieve that.”
