It’s going to be difficult for the Los Angeles Lakers to bank on LeBron James alone. He is far from his prime era, where pushing a team through wins felt like a cakewalk. Remember his 34 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 9 assists per game average throughout the 2018 playoffs? Well, you might not see that Akron Hammer now, but if planned accordingly, JJ Redick might have an efficient team to hold the fort for the first round.

On Wednesday, the Lakers’ head coach spoke to the media. The reporters asked him if there was a big difference in strategy now compared to earlier games. Especially hinting that what works in Game 1 might not work in Game 5.

“Oh, yeah. I mean, that’s what we’ve had to do for 82 games for the last two years. So that’s not any different. Yeah, we’re mindful. I mean, I do think we have other options than just having him have the ball and having to go against the set defense every single possession,” Coach Redick said. “We’ll look to mix in different actions depending on their lineups and depending on their coverages. We spoke about this before, even a couple of days ago, after the last game of this.”

According to JJ, the shift in strategy isn’t new. In fact, they have adjusted all season. Instead of relying solely on LeBron James to handle the ball against set defenses every possession, the team will diversify its offense, especially during the playoffs. They’ll use different actions based on opponent lineups and defensive schemes, showing flexibility and planning already discussed after recent games.

These strategies are going to come in handy at this point, as both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are not going to be in the lineups. The star won’t be around until mid-May, when the league will be neck deep into the postseason, probably kicking off the second round. In that case, LA has to hold its fort and bank on LeBron James a lot more.

Well, the truth is scary. On paper, the Lakers appear formidable, but the numbers reveal underlying vulnerability. They’ve gone 43–21 with Luka Doncic, 38–21 with LeBron, and 36–15 with Austin Reaves. Take those pillars away, though, and the decline is evident—just 9–8 without Luka and 16–14 without Reaves.

And while JJ Redick is looking towards crossing the Round 1 threshold, LeBron James is looking into the Finals. He believes that the Los Angeles Lakers can see the postseason come together. But his ultimate desire is to play the Finals against the Boston Celtics.

LeBron James envisions a Lakers-Celtics Finals

Does LeBron James see everything coming together in the playoffs? “Yeah. With a Lakers-Boston finals,” he told Steve Nash on Mind the Game. “That’d be crazy.” James hasn’t played against the C’s as much as he played against them during his tenure in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, he holds a 34-28 record versus the Boston Celtics in his career. “I had a lot of Celtics series when I was in the East. They don’t like me either,” he said.

LeBron James may be eyeing a June clash with the Boston Celtics, yet the numbers whisper caution. Yes, March brought a flashy 15–2 surge. However, the larger sample tells a flatter story. For long stretches, the Los Angeles Lakers hovered in mediocrity, even sitting fifth in the West with a point differential of 0—a perfect snapshot of “mid.” Defense, meanwhile, continues to wobble at the worst times.

Therefore, now, the pressure spikes. The Lakers enter Round 1 against the Houston Rockets as a +450 underdog. Houston finished strong, yet still lacks a true contender aura. So, where does that place LeBron James? In a tricky bind. Without Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, the roster feels thin, lacking both scoring punch and overall balance when it matters most.

Reality is staring the Lakers down, and it refuses to blink. LeBron James still dreams big, yet time and roster gaps demand smarter execution. JJ Redick leans on structure and variety, aiming to survive early chaos. However, with key absences and uneven form lingering, the path tightens quickly.