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Skip Bayless blasted LeBron James amid the Lakers' struggles against the Thunder
The Los Angeles Lakers did well to overcome their injury woes and advance past the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, with LeBron James playing a leading role in the team’s success. However, things have taken a sharp turn in the second round, as the Lakers have been comfortably beaten by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first two games of the series.
While Austin Reaves has managed to get himself back on the floor for Los Angeles, James is still having to shoulder a massive load on offense for the Lakers. If you ask Skip Bayless, that’s going to be a big problem for the Lakers, because he believes James simply does not have what it takes to lead this team past the reigning NBA champions.
“LeBron James, to me, has proven over many, many years to be the most mentally fragile superstar I have ever closely observed. I mean, the poor man, as gifted as he is, was born without a clutch gene.
So he’s lucky to be in the top 10 because he’s a liability and always has been
The 2025-26 campaign was an odd season for James, as he took on a secondary role for L.A. behind Luka Doncic and Reaves. His numbers in 60 games during the regular season were still good (20.9 PPG, 7.2 APG, 6.1 RPG, 51.5 FG%), but he deferred more to his teammates than ever before in an effort to help the Lakers win more games.
In the playoffs, with both Doncic and Reaves missing time, the script has flipped. James was tasked with leading the Lakers past the Rockets, and he did just that (23.2 PPG, 8.3 APG, 7.2 RPG, 43.2 FG%). Through two games against the Thunder, though, they have appeared content to let James get his points, so long as they can limit his supporting cast. The result has been a pair of 18-point defeats for Los Angeles.
It’s tough to pin much of the blame on James’ shoulders for his team’s struggles against OKC, but according to Bayless, this is only further proof that LeBron is not the greatest player in the history of the league. Bayless claimed that James simply does not have the sort of clutch gene needed to help get the Lakers past the Thunder in this high-profile series.
“LeBron James, to me, has proven over many, many years to be the most mentally fragile superstar I have ever closely observed. I mean, the poor man, as gifted as he is, he was born without a clutch gene,” Bayless said on “First Take.”
GettyOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MAY 5: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 5, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)
You can only take Bayless so seriously when discussing James, but his overarching point stands out. The Lakers knew they were going to be at a disadvantage in this series without Doncic, and to this point, James has appeared overmatched by the Thunder. Sure, he’s scoring at will, but it’s not leading to victories for his team.
Los Angeles’ hopes of even making this series competitive may depend on whether or not Doncic can get himself back on the floor before things get out of hand. L.A. needs to win Game 3 to have a realistic shot at winning this series, but even that may not be enough. James isn’t to blame if the Lakers end up losing this series, but it seems like Bayless is going to hold him accountable no matter what.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is an Email Newsletter Editor & Breaking News Writer at Heavy Sports. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, NESN Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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