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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the first half of a game against the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena on April 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

LeBron James is the de facto leader for the Los Angeles Lakers as they begin the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

While that might sound like a tall task for the 41-year-old, leading the Lakers without their two leading scorers, James isn’t new to the playoffs, and with his resume, has proven to be a top-tier performer when the lights are brightest, despite being the oldest player in the league.

Before the Lakers vs Rockets playoff series begins, the NBA announced news about James as he begins what is his 19th postseason appearance.

NBA Announces LeBron James News Before Lakers Playoffs Begin

In a post on X, the NBA confirmed that once the Lakers’ Game 1 against the Rockets begins, James will be tied for the most playoff appearances in NBA history.

With his 19th appearance in the postseason, James will tie both John Stockton and Karl Malone for the most in the history of the sport, as those two did it in the 1980s, ’90s, and early 2000s with the Utah Jazz.

In his 23 seasons, James has only missed the playoffs four times in his career. His early Cleveland Cavaliers teams didn’t make the postseason in his first two seasons, while he also missed out on the playoffs in the 2018-19 and 2021-22 seasons with the Lakers. However, he did have a 13-year playoff streak, a run that included a historic eight Finals appearances in a row.

James is also the NBA playoffs leader in several top statistical categories. He has scored the most points, played the most games and minutes, made the most shots, recorded the most steals, while also second in assists and fourth in rebounds.

James has the chance to add to those totals this postseason with the Lakers, but it won’t come easy, as Los Angeles is not favored to beat Houston in the first round as long as they are without Doncic and Reaves.

LeBron James Is They Key For The Lakers Until Luka Doncic And Austin Reaves Return

As mentioned, despite the oldest player in the NBA, James holds the car keys for the Lakers in the first round until either Doncic or Reaves comes back, which remains to be determined for the time being.

“Can the 41-year-old James turn back the clock and lead his team to postseason glory again? He wasn’t supposed to carry such a burden this season. But just as James was becoming comfortable as the Lakers’ No. 3 option, the two players ahead of him (Doncic and Austin Reaves) sustained injuries,” Zach Kram wrote on James for the Lakers’ upcoming playoff series.

According to recent updates, Doncic or Reaves, depending on the source, could come back at some point in the Lakers playoff series against the Rockets. However, at the earliest, that would be later in the series, potentially Game 6 or 7.

“So now James — whose 20.9 PPG represented both a career low for him, and by far the most points in NBA history for a player at his age — will have to dig deep to keep the Lakers alive long enough for Doncic and Reaves to return.”

So for now, it’s up to James to lead Los Angeles and extend their series against Houston. That remains a tall task, but for the Lakers, they have the perfect man for the job, someone who has more playoff experience than anybody else in NBA history.

The Lakers vs Rockets first-round playoff series begins on Saturday, April 18, with tipoff for Game 1 scheduled at 5:30 pm PST and live on ABC.