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Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaks with LeBron James during a game, as the team prepares for its playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

The Los Angeles Lakers may have an unexpected edge heading into their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets following the a controversial NBA decision — and head coach JJ Redick didn’t downplay it.

“He’s 41,” Redick said after Wednesday’s practice, referring to LeBron James. “So, yeah. Any extra time off is good.”

The comment comes as the Lakers prepare for a postseason matchup that has drawn attention not just to the teams involved but also to a schedule that could benefit their oldest — and still most important — player.

Lakers-Rockets Schedule Draws Scrutiny Across NBA

The NBA’s first-round schedule for the Lakers and Rockets has been a point of discussion because of its spacing:

• Game 1: Rockets at Lakers — Saturday, April 18 (5:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 2: Rockets at Lakers — Tuesday, April 21 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Game 3: Lakers at Rockets — Friday, April 24 (5:00 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
• Game 4: Lakers at Rockets — Sunday, April 26 (6:30 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Game 5 (if necessary): Rockets at Lakers — Wednesday, April 29
• Game 6 (if necessary): Lakers at Rockets — Friday, May 1
• Game 7 (if necessary): Rockets at Lakers — Sunday, May 3

The series includes two or more days of rest before Games 2, 3 and 5, stretching it across more than two weeks.

While that format is not uncommon, the Lakers are the only Western Conference team to receive that level of spacing between games. Other series feature fewer extended breaks.

The structure has sparked debate across the league, particularly given its potential impact on veteran players like James.

LeBron James Still Producing at Elite Level Entering Playoffs

Despite the mileage, James enters the postseason in strong form.

He was named Western Conference Player of the Week after averaging 24.0 points, 9.7 assists and 6.0 rebounds, leading the Lakers to a 3-1 finish to close the regular season.

The production came as Los Angeles adjusted to injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, both of whom remain sidelined indefinitely.

“Trying to make plays, I had to tap back into a role I’ve been accustomed to in the past,” James said. “Circumstances have put me back in trying to feed off my teammates… and just trying to make things happen for us.”

Earlier this month, he joked about his availability.

“I tell my teammates all the time, I go to bed, I’m available for the game, and I wake up, I’m [expletive] doubtful,” he said. “Every single time.”

James missed 22 games this season, including 14 to start the year due to a sciatic nerve issue.

Injuries Make Rest Even More Valuable for Lakers

The spacing in the schedule could carry added importance given the Lakers’ current situation.

Dončić (grade 2 hamstring strain) and Reaves (grade 2 oblique injury) are both targeting potential returns later in the series, though Redick has maintained they are “out indefinitely.”

The added recovery time between games increases the possibility that reinforcements arrive before the series concludes — and helps preserve James’ workload in the meantime.

Pressure Still on Lakers to Extend Series

For all the attention on rest, the Lakers still need to stay competitive long enough for that advantage to matter.

If the Rockets take early control, the extended timeline becomes less relevant. But if Los Angeles can keep the series close, the extra days off could shift the balance.

For now, Redick’s message was straightforward.

At this stage of James’ career, every extra day counts.