The Los Angeles Lakers may have closed the regular season with a dominant win, but they are heading into the playoffs with major uncertainty around their two best scorers. With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both dealing with injuries, one top analyst believes even vintage LeBron James will not be enough to save them from an early exit.
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In the recent episode of “First Take”, NBA analyst Stephen A Smith dropped a bombshell that wouldn’t impress the Los Angeles faithful. Smith hardly gave the Lakers any chance in the first round of the playoffs, as he fears that they may get swept. “All LeBron’s going to get you your numbers. He’s got the ball in his hands. He’s going to be able to dictate matchups and pace what have you because you don’t have Luka and Austin Reeves to defer to, so the numbers are going to be there. But let me be very very clear. Okay, Lakers going home very early at the most five, and I anticipate they might get swept. They don’t have enough,” Smith opined.
“Lakers going home very early. … I anticipate they might get swept.”
—@stephenasmith on the Lakers’ playoff chances without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves 😳 pic.twitter.com/l9NfDbqzAL
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 13, 2026
Doncic is dealing with a hamstring strain he suffered against the Oklahoma City Thunder, while Reaves is sidelined with an oblique injury. The duo combined for the bulk of the Lakers’ scoring this season, with Doncic averaging over 30 points per game and Reaves above 20. Their absence leaves a massive offensive gap.
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Head coach JJ Redick remains hopeful about their return, but there is real uncertainty heading into Game 1. That puts the responsibility squarely on LeBron, now in his 23rd season at age 41, to carry the offense against a dangerous Houston Rockets squad.
Smith gives LeBron his flowers and even believes that he may stop the Lakers from getting swept as he counts on the 41-year-old to win a game on his own versus the Rockets. But at the same time, he also feels that only his brilliance won’t be enough to deter the Kevin Durant-led side in the playoffs. “Well, you can talk about vintage LeBron playoffs. All you want to are you talking about numbers? Are you talking about wins? LeBron’s going to get his numbers. He’s one of the greatest players to have ever played this game and you marvel at his greatness at age 41 in the year 23 of his career of his career is 23rd season this career. All LeBron’s going to get you your numbers. He’s got the ball in his hands. He’s going to be able to dictate matchups and pace what have you because you don’t have Luka and Austin Reeves to defer to so the numbers are going to be there. The only reason I’m not saying it’s a flat-out sweep just because it’s just like I did with AI in 2001. I said AI get you one. I’d like to believe I can say the same for the great LeBron James, but that’s about all Lakers are going home in five. This is not going to be a long series,” Smith added.
To his credit, LeBron has already shown he can still carry the load. He led the Lakers to three straight wins to close the regular season, scoring 25 or more points in three of those games while also posting double-digit assists multiple times.
But Smith’s concern is not about LeBron. It is about whether the rest of the roster can keep up.
Smith believes Lakers’ rotational stars, barring LeBron James, will have to overperform vs. Rockets
LeBron has seamlessly shifted back into a primary creator role with the Lakers missing their top two scorers. Earlier in the season, he operated more off the ball alongside Doncic and Reaves, but recent games have forced him to control the offense once again.
Imago
Apr 5, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
The Lakers always expected to lean on LeBron’s experience, but not to this extent. If they want to compete with Houston, players like Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, and Luke Kennard will have to take on significantly larger roles. They have been solid in stretches, but the playoffs demand a different level of consistency and production.
Smith believes it is too tall a task for the Lakers without their primary scorers, as he feels that the rotational players will have to play out of their skins to give them any opportunity of progressing. “Deandre Ayton’s got to play above the clouds — good luck with that. Along with Rui Hachimura and others, they’ve got to play above what we’ve seen they can do. I don’t know if they can do that,” Smith opined.
For the Lakers, the goal is simple: survive long enough to get healthy. Doncic is currently in Europe receiving treatment, and his availability for the opening games remains uncertain.
LeBron will do what he always does in the playoffs, but unless the supporting cast rises to the occasion, Stephen A. Smith’s warning could quickly become reality.
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Ved Vaze