Basketball superstar LeBron James says his presence remains vital for the Los Angeles Lakers as they moved to the brink of a second-round spot in the 2025–2026 NBA Playoffs.
The Lakers secured a 112–108 win over the Houston Rockets to open a 3–0 lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game 4 set for Monday, April 27.
As he has throughout the series, the 41-year-old led from the front, posting 29 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals in 45 minutes.
Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart added 22 and 21 points, respectively, while James said after the game he was satisfied with logging heavy minutes despite his age.
“The game’s never over until zeroes on the clock. Listen, we came that far, so trying to see if I can make plays.”
“Obviously my presence on the floor is key for our ball club” LeBron said as the Lakers continue to play without Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic.
Rockets forward Kevin Durant missed Game 3 due to an ankle sprain suffered in Game 2.
