Superstar LeBron James warned Thursday that Kevin Durant isn’t the only threat the depleted Los Angeles Lakers must be wary of in their NBA playoffs first-round clash with the Houston Rockets.
The series, which starts on Saturday in Los Angeles, has been billed as a renewal of their rivalry, which stretches back to 2008 and includes three clashes in the NBA Finals.
In the 2012 Finals, James’s Miami Heat beat Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder. Five years later Durant’s Golden State Warriors beat James’s Cleveland Cavaliers in the championship series, repeating the feat the following season.
James on Durant: “He’s the Head of the Snake”
James has long voiced his admiration for Durant, his teammate on two Olympic gold medal-winning teams.
But the 41-year-old said the Lakers can’t afford to disregard Durant’s supporting cast.
“We know that he’s the head of the snake,” James said. “But it’s the Houston Rockets and they have some damn good players on their team.
“It’s not just a KD team. It’s the whole group,” James added, calling out Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith in noting that “everyone who goes on the floor is a threat, and we have to be ready for that.”
The Rockets’ Supporting Cast: A Balanced Attack
Durant may be the biggest name on the Rockets’ roster, but he has an elite supporting cast around him.
Alperen Sengun, the two-time NBA All-Star center, is averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. He is a skilled post scorer and playmaker who can punish smaller defenders and exploit mismatches.
Amen Thompson, the 23-year-old rising star, is an explosive athlete who can get to the rim at will. He plays elite defense and has developed into a reliable secondary playmaker. He led the Rockets in minutes played this season and ranked among the league leaders in steals.
Jabari Smith Jr. is a floor-spacing forward who can knock down open threes and defend multiple positions. He provides the Rockets with length and versatility on both ends of the floor.
The Rockets also have Reed Sheppard, a sharpshooter off the bench who ranks in the top 10 in the league in total steals, and a deep bench that can hurt opponents if the Lakers focus too much attention on Durant.
The Lakers’ Injury Woes
The Rockets’ aggression could be particularly difficult for the Lakers to counter with key offensive assets Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined by injury.
Doncic has sought treatment in Europe in a bid to hasten his return from a hamstring strain, and Reaves was also sidelined late in the regular season with an oblique muscle injury, with a return date for both still uncertain.
Lakers coach JJ Redick acknowledged that puts even more on the shoulders of James.
“We’re going to need him to facilitate. We’re going to need him to score,” Redick said. “We’re going to need him to defend and rebound.
“I think he recognizes the task at hand, and he’s very locked in.”
Durant Downplays the Individual Rivalry
Durant, who arrived in Houston from Phoenix last July as part of a blockbuster seven-team deal, also downplayed any individual duel with James.
“It’s always great playing against great players,” Durant said. “You feel their presence on the floor even if you’re not matched up with them.
“Of course from the outside looking in, casual folks who are not in the life with us every day, yeah the matchup is definitely fun. Two great players who have been in the league for a long time. But everybody who’s involved in this series knows it’s much deeper than that.”
The Historical Rivalry
James and Durant have faced each other 46 times in NBA games, with James holding a 26-20 edge. Durant leads in the postseason with a 9-5 record, a mark shaped by multiple Finals appearances.
Their first playoff clash came in the 2012 NBA Finals, when James led the Miami Heat past Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant’s move to the Golden State Warriors created the next chapter, as he faced James in multiple Finals series and secured championships in 2017 and 2018.
Now, both players approach this series at a later stage in their careers. The familiarity remains, but the context has evolved. Each possession carries a sense of urgency that did not always exist in earlier meetings.
The Verdict: A Heavyweight Battle with Deeper Implications
The Lakers are massive underdogs. The Rockets are deeper, healthier, and more talented on paper. But the playoffs are about superstars, and both teams have them.
James has been here before. He has carried teams that had no business winning. He has silenced doubters, defied Father Time, and delivered championships.
Durant is also a proven winner. He has been the best player on the floor in NBA Finals. He has hit game-winning shots in the biggest moments.
This series will be a battle of two legends. But it will also be a test of which supporting cast rises to the occasion.
As James said, the Rockets are not just a KD team. They have “damn good players” who can hurt the Lakers if they are not respected.
Game 1 tips off Saturday. The stage is set. And the basketball world will be watching to see if the Lakers can pull off the upset.