LeBron James is looking forward to sharing the court with his son Bronny in the NBA playoffs for the first time, calling it “the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career.” The Los Angeles Lakers veteran made the remarks after practice Thursday ahead of their first-round series against the Houston Rockets, which begins Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
James, who turns 42 in December, will tie Karl Malone and John Stockton for the most playoff appearances in NBA history with 19 when the Lakers open their postseason run. But the four-time champion says experiencing the playoffs alongside his 21-year-old son surpasses all his individual accomplishments.
“Me being on the floor with him, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career, above everything that I’ve accomplished,” James said. “So, the fact that he’s put himself in a position to get his number called for a postseason game is pretty remarkable and pretty cool given the circumstances that he’s been given the last couple years.”
Bronny James earned his playoff opportunity through strong performances late in the regular season after Lakers starters Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were sidelined with injuries. In Los Angeles’ final six games, the second-year guard averaged 7.2 points on 47.2% shooting (including 42.9% from three-point range), with 1.8 assists, and 1.0 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per night.
“I mean, it’s what I’ve wanted,” Bronny said Thursday. “My dream is to play in the playoffs. I wasn’t able to play in March, so this is a bigger stage than that, and I’m completely and totally excited to get out there with my teammates.”
The younger James missed the South Bay Lakers’ G League playoff run last month after being called up to fortify the Los Angeles bench following the Doncic and Reaves injuries. He has since secured a spot in coach JJ Redick’s rotation, providing valuable depth for a Lakers team navigating significant absences in its backcourt.
LeBron James praised his son’s readiness for the postseason challenge, stating simply: “He earned it, he deserves it, and he’ll be ready.” The father-son duo made NBA history this season as the first active father and son to play together in league history.
Bronny James was selected by the Lakers with the 55th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft after playing one season of college basketball at USC. The 6-foot-2 guard, listed at 210 pounds, primarily plays point guard and shooting guard for Los Angeles.
The Lakers enter their playoff matchup against the Rockets as they seek to advance past the first round for the first time since 2021. Houston finished the regular season as the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a 44-38 record, while Los Angeles qualified for the play-in tournament before securing the seventh seed in the West.
Game 1 of the Lakers-Rockets series is scheduled for Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with tipoff set for 8:30 p.m. ET (00:30 UTC Sunday). The contest will be broadcast nationally on ABC.
As the NBA playoffs begin, the James family storyline adds a historic dimension to the Lakers’ postseason journey. For LeBron James, the opportunity to share the floor with Bronny represents a career milestone that transcends statistics and accolades.
What does this mean for the Lakers’ playoff push? The availability of Bronny James provides valuable guard depth for a Los Angeles team managing injuries to key contributors. His recent shooting form and familiarity with the Lakers’ system could prove beneficial in specific matchups against Houston.
Looking ahead, the Lakers will await the outcome of Game 1 before shifting focus to potential adjustments for Game 2 of their first-round series. The series follows a traditional 2-2-1-1-1 format, with Games 1 and 2 hosted by the higher-seeded Rockets in Houston.
For continued coverage of the Lakers’ playoff run and the historic James family moment, follow official NBA updates and team announcements as the series progresses.
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