LeBron James continues to trek his way through his record-breaking NBA season No. 23 with the Los Angeles Lakers. While he looks to put the handful of injuries he’s dealt with so far this NBA season in the rearview mirror, he’s showed glimpses of slowing down at the age of 40, while also showcasing, at times, the greatness he’s possessed throughout his storied career.

On Wednesday night, James took the floor inside crypto.com Arena for an Emirates NBA Cup 2025 quarterfinal matchup with the San Antonio Spurs. While James’ stat-line shows an impressive individual outing for the Lakers leader, the final score would favor the visiting Spurs.

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The Spurs took down the Lakers 132-119, as the Spurs have now advanced to the semifinals of this year’s NBA Cup to take on the defending NBA champion, Oklahoma City Thunder. As for the Lakers, they’ll take a few days off before heading on the road for their next game later this week.

LeBron James Shuts Down Lakers Playoff Question After Being Eliminated From NBA Cup

While the NBA Cup provides a playoff atmosphere, seemingly simulating a win-or-go-home mentality, it remains unknown if the players view it the same view as the actual NBA playoffs. Following the loss to the Spurs, reporters asked James if the Lakers results in the NBA Cup has any bearing on how they view their chances in the playoffs come April of 2026.

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Here’s the interaction between James and these reporters:

“It’s December what?” James asked.

“Tenth,” one reporter responded.

“And we’re talking about playoffs?” James replied with a wry smile.

“Na, I can’t do that. It’s not okay. It’s not my mindset. I can’t think about what we can do in the playoffs in December…As far as talking about what type of damage we can do in the postseason in December, that’s not right for the Basketball Gods,” James said.

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James dismantled the reporters question with a simple fact. The NBA calendar is less than two weeks into December, more than four months away from the start of the 2025-26 playoffs. James reminded the reporter of that, also eluding to the fact that what happens in December, regardless of these games being played in an attempt to win an NBA Cup title, don’t tell the story of how the playoffs will turn out in April, May, or June.

Despite the Lakers taking a loss on Wednesday night, James showed the basketball world just how much he has left in the tank. He dropped 19 points on 7-for-14 shooting from the field, adding 15 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals.

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James accomplished all of this in 36 minutes played, adding a highlight reel (poster) dunk over Spurs center, Luke Kornet, bringing the house down in the waning minutes of the first half.

While James is refusing to discuss his team’s playoff chances in December, they’ll try to start a new winning-streak in their next game. They’ll head on the road to take on the Phoenix Suns. Tip-off is scheduled for Sunday at 8:00 p.m. EDT, as they’ll look for win No. 18 on the season.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 11, 2025, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.