Lakers Reveal LeBron James Decision Before Rockets Game

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Lakers Reveal LeBron James Decision Before Rockets Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rodney Knuppel | Last updated Apr 11, 2025 9:38 PM ET

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers had their final home game on the schedule for Friday night against the Houston Rockets.

The Lakers and Rockets last met on March 31, with the Lakers coming away with a 104-98 win.

These two teams are both heading to the postseason, and this could potentially be a second-round matchup. For the Lakers though, they still have some work to do in order to grab the third seed.

James had a few doubts about his status leading up to the game. He has worked through a groin strain that caused him to miss seven games in March.

But just over an hour before tip-off, Underdog NBA posted James' status: "LeBron James (groin) available to play Friday."

LeBron James (groin) available to play Friday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 12, 2025

The 40-year-old James is playing more than 35 minutes per game, scoring 24.6 points per game. Last season, James played in 71 games and scored 25.7 points per game.

Luka Doncic has come over to the Lakers since the start of February and helped jolt the franchise. The pair of superstars together have led the Lakers to a 30-10 record at home, which is second best in all of the Western Conference.

This is James' 21st season in the NBA. He has won four NBA championships, with three different organizations. He has also been the Finals MVP in all four of those titles.

On top of that, James won four MVP Awards in five seasons from 2009-13.

The start of the season saw the biggest news, as he was able to play on the same court with his son, Bronny James, who was drafted by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft.

A season ago, the Lakers were eliminated in the postseason by the Denver Nuggets in the first round. That came after Los Angeles won on the road at New Orleans in the play-in game.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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