The Los Angeles Lakers were the underdogs going into the semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Most of it had to do with Coach JJ Redick and team still being without their leading scorer, Luka Doncic, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury.
Add to it a returning Austin Reaves, who is yet to shake off the rust. As a result, Lakers Nation has no choice but to rely on a 41-year-old LeBron James as the sole offensive engine of the team, something he did do to a large extent in the first round against the Houston Rockets.
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But expecting the same from him in the West semifinals against the defending champions, Thunder, is a bit much. Though he did manage to put up a highly efficient 27-point performance against the Thunder in Game 1, it was never going to be enough to get the win.
Addressing the media postgame, James was asked about the team’s struggles offensively, and the four-time champion didn’t mind highlighting Doncic’s absence.
“The offensive issues coming from? We have a guy that averaged 37 a game … There’s the issues right there. We’re playing against the No. 1 defensive team in the NBA. And when you play against great defenses, you have to have guys that can attract multiple defenders on the floor at all times. I feel like we got some great shots tonight, we missed them,”stated King James.
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It was never going to be easy
Facing a dominant team like the Thunder, James knew from the get-go that the Lakers had to bring their A game. Even more so with Doncic being out, given the MVP season he was having, averaging 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds on 47.6 percent shooting from the field.
The Thunder held another edge over the Lakers with their perfect 4-0 record in their 2025-26 regular-season meetings. That said, Doncic didn’t play in two of those games — no surprises why LeBron would need the Slovenian sensation by his side in the West semifinals.
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“When you play against the World Champions, having a guy that averages 34-8-9, whatever the hell it is, that’s special,” said the veteran Lakers superstar, acknowledging they had to play better in the paint.
“We know they’re (Thunder) a paint-swarming team, so they have to be better with getting to the paint and not turning the ball over and then shooting with confidence. But I feel like we got some really good looks,” added James, who may have to play the remainder of the series without Doncic.
Availability ahead of Game 2
Though Doncic did show up to support his team on the road, it is highly unlikely for him to return ahead of Game 2. ESPN’s Shams Charania had reported a couple of days back that Luka would be out to start the series against the Thunder, and that the Lakers were evaluating him on a week-to-week basis.
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“So he’s missed about a month right now. One source told me in the last few days, it’s still a slow path on Doncic’s recovery. He’s doing more and more on the court, but right now still not full-fledged running or full-contact workouts,”mentioned Charania.
Given the circumstances, it is highly unlikely that Doncic will be back anytime soon. On the other hand, things are only getting worse for the Lakers, who had Jarred Vanderbilt injure his pinky finger in Game 1, forcing him to exit the game.
At this point, a 2018 version of LeBron may not be enough to combat the Thunder, making it an unfortunate situation for Lakers Nation.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.