LeBron James took a moment to reflect after leading the Los Angeles Lakers past the Houston Rockets in the first round, appreciating the achievement at this stage of his career.
At 41, he delivered a dominant series, including a strong closeout performance, while stepping back into a leading role due to injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
“I think me personally, the accepting and trying to be OK with the small victories comes with where I am in my career,” he said.
“Understanding, s—, who knows how many more playoff series I’m going to be a part of? If I play one more or two more or three more seasons, that doesn’t guarantee me to be in the postseason.
“So just trying to appreciate the moments, whatever it is, and however long I’m playing. It’s pretty cool to have the opportunity to lead a team, at 41 years old, into the playoffs and for us to be able to win it.”
James also made history in the process, becoming the oldest player ever to lead a playoff series in scoring, finishing with 139 points over six games.
After previously adjusting to a reduced role in the offense, he embraced the shift back to being the focal point when the team needed it most.
“I mean, to be able to experience something [new], it was just totally different for me,” James said.
“In March, it was a totally different role for me. It was super uncomfortable, but comfortable. I had to get into that. But it was also winning. That’s all I care about. But I knew at the same time I could give more.
“But maybe giving more wasn’t what was a fit for our team. And I accepted that and I was OK with that. Not from a team aspect, I was OK with that. I was able to put my ego to the side for the betterment of the team, understanding that I could do it.”
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Ayton, Doncic, Reaves https://t.co/Jju2KExXnz
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) May 2, 2026
