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LeBron James Accused of Lying About NBA Playoffs Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sami Haider | Last updated Mar 5, 2026 12:58 PM ET

LeBron James, 41, is in his record-setting 23rd NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 21.6 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.7 rebounds in 43 games. With a 37-24 record and having the sixth rank in the Western Conference, the Lakers are in a strong playoff position, with James helping Luka Doncic with his sharpshooting.

So, on the court, things are going well for him. But the king's legacy off the court has taken some hits since he has faced repeated accusations of lying about NBA playoff decisions.

In a recent episode of the Mind Game podcast, James was asked about his habit of going dark during playoff runs. He said he turns his phone completely off for the entire postseason, cutting off contact with the outside world for about two and a half months.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23)Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

During that time, only two people can reach him: Randy Mims and Maverick Carter. If something urgent comes up, they go to him in person and knock on his door.

"Nobody could get in contact with me for two and a half straight months," he said. "I was just doing a lot of reading, a lot of reflection, a lot of meditating just on what I wanted to accomplish in my career."

LeBron says he would turn off his phone during playoffs and nobody could contact him for over 2 months

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— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) March 5, 2026

The irony? Fans didn't waste any time throwing proof on the table that James was lying.

One viewer wrote, "Bro was literally posting Instagram posts Game 1 of last year's playoffs "

"Will there ever be a time that he stops LYING ," another added.

A third fan noted, "Lying for no god damn reason again ."

The fourth one added, "Why does he just lie unprovoked bro I don't understand?"

A fifth viewer remarked, "Here go Bron lying."

A random X user simply wrote, "Lies."

LeBron James has long called the routine “Zero Dark Thirty-23 mode,” describing playoff isolation as part of his mental preparation. But according to those accusations, questions remain over whether his phone was actually turned off or just set to do-not-disturb.

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

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