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LeBron James Addresses JJ Redick's 'Loser' Claim

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Mar 19, 2026 1:27 AM ET

LeBron James turned in a vintage performance for the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer went off for 30 points on a near-perfect 13-of-14 shooting. James also added five rebounds, two assists, a steal, one block and three-pointers in 34 minutes of action.

Thanks in part to James’ inspired effort, the Lakers secured a second straight win against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets, 124-116.

The victory also marked L.A.’s seventh straight win. The Lakers improved to 44-25 and are third in the Western Conference. They increased their lead over the fourth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves to 1.5 games after Wednesday’s victory.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James (23) and Luka Doncic (77)Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Luka Doncic was the star of the show against Houston. The Lakers superstar was at his best, especially down the stretch. Doncic finished with a game-high 40 points, with nine rebounds, 10 assists, a steal and seven triples.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick had some high praise for both Doncic and James after Wednesday’s victory. Redick joked that what James is doing at 41 makes him feel like a “loser” because of how out of shape Redick is.

Reporters asked James to comment on his coach’s blunt assessment. The 22-time All-Star laughed at Redick’s statement before issuing his response.

"If he's a loser, we're all in deep [expletive]," James said.

The Lakers have little time to celebrate Wednesday’s win. They are back in action on Thursday, on the second night of a back-to-back set. James and Co. travel to South Beach to take on one of James’ former teams, the Miami Heat.

That matchup will mark L.A.’s third contest out of its current six-game road trip.

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

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