The Los Angeles Lakers lost 134-128 to the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Sunday in what was their first game since Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were ruled out for the rest of the regular season with injuries. While losing to the lowly Mavericks was disappointing, LeBron James‘ play was a big positive to take away from that night.
James came close to recording a 30-point triple-double, and he had a message for Mavericks fans sitting courtside in the fourth quarter.
“I can still do this s***, you know what I’m sayin’?” James said. “… I can still do this s***. They put me on the shelf, ya know.”
LeBron during the Dallas game where he dropped 30/9/15 as the 1st option:
“I can still do this sh*t you know what I’m sayin? I can still do this sh*t. they put me on the shelf ya know” 👀🔥
(Via @shpillo_) pic.twitter.com/vatku0obwI
— BronMuse (@BronMuse) April 7, 2026
James, of course, was referring to the fact that he had taken a backseat to Doncic and Reaves. The 22-time All-Star had sacrificed and become the third option on a team for the first time in his NBA career.
James, who is averaging a career-low 20.8 points per game in 2025-26, got the opportunity here against the Mavericks to show what he is still capable of when he isn’t “put on the shelf.” The 41-year-old finished with 30 points (12-22 FG), nine rebounds, 15 assists, and one steal on the night.
There is no doubt that James is still capable of having great outings like this one. The question is how consistent can he be? Even if James churns out excellent performances regularly, though, these Lakers aren’t going to come out victorious on most nights. They need their two backcourt stars back.
James admitted after the loss to the Mavericks that losing Doncic and Reaves back-to-back were huge blows to him and the Lakers. The timing couldn’t have been much worse, with the playoffs around the corner.
Doncic was the first to go down, as he exited Thursday’s 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the third quarter with a strained left hamstring. The Slovenian had suffered a hamstring issue in the first half, but Lakers head coach JJ Redick still chose to play him after halftime.
It was later revealed that Doncic had suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. The average recovery time is about four to six weeks, but he is looking to come back sooner. Doncic has headed to Europe for specialized medical treatment to expedite his return. He could potentially be back in two to three weeks by going down this route.
As for Reaves, he got injured in the first quarter against the Thunder when he stretched for a loose ball. He went to the locker room not long after, but returned to the game in the second quarter. Reaves would also play in the third despite the game being a blowout, and in hindsight, that was a mistake. He has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and is expected to miss four to six weeks.
While Doncic and Reaves’ absence gives James the chance to show how much gas is left in the tank right before he becomes a free agent in the summer, it also ensures he has next to no chance of winning a title this season. The Lakers had gone 15-2 in March and were making a case for why they should be looked at as a title contender. Now, they look set to be eliminated in the first round for the third year in a row.
The Lakers dropped to 50-28 with this loss to the Mavericks and will now take on the Thunder again at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET. James might miss the contest as well, along with Doncic and Reaves, as he has been listed as questionable due to left foot injury management.
