The Los Angeles Lakers were already rolling before the return of LeBron James, who spent the first few weeks of the 2025-26 season recovering from a sciatica injury. Now they look nearly unstoppable, with any doubts about James fitting back into the system fading away.
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The Purple and Gold are number two in the Western Conference at 14–4 thanks to their powerhouse offensive combo led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The squad is scoring about 118.3 points per game and doing its job on the defensive side thanks to new pickups DeAndre Ayton and Marcus Smart. James, at 40, has put up 11, 17, 25, and 13 in his first four games of the year.
Those numbers lean on the lower side for James, but considering the team is winning, it does not really feel like he will be complaining. The future Hall of Famer has usually been the backbone of every offense he has led over the last 22 seasons. This may be the year he can play a supporting role rather than the main character.
Zach Lowe spoke about the depth of the Lakers’ offense during a recent edition of Sports on Prime. In fact, Lowe was so impressed that he joked about how the team could afford to have some drama surrounding it because right now, they look like one of the best units in the entire league.
“The LeBron fit has been so seamless. It’s almost alarming. I could use a little drama. I could use a little tension. He fits right in. Setting screens, cutting, doing all that stuff,” stated Lowe.
James has been contributing in several different areas. Sure, he’s racking up assists and rebounds, but he’s also spreading the offense out so Luka and Reaves can really go to work. It’s unselfish play by one of the most respected players in the game.
Lowe then took a second to give special props to Reaves for stepping up his game dramatically this year. “Austin Reaves is playing the best ball of his life. Somehow, the guy the Mavericks didn’t get in the Luka Doncic trade is dominating,” he stated.
That one will sting for Dallas fans. The Mavs not only lost horribly in the Luka trade. They basically have none of their remaining swagger and are most likely headed towards a rebuild.
Meanwhile, the Lakers could potentially challenge the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top spot in the West, according to Lowe. “This looks like a really legit offensive juggernaut. And this conference was supposed to be Thunder, Nuggets, Rockets. Well, the Lakers just moved ahead of the Rockets, and they moved ahead of the Nuggets, and they’re second in the West.”
The season is still early, so trends can always change. The Lakers’ last four wins were against mid-tier opponents like the Jazz, Mavs, and a depleted Clippers team. But you cannot ignore how hard J.J. Redick has worked to prepare the Purple and Gold for these matchups. They are firing on all cylinders, coaching included. Doncic is an early MVP frontrunner, and James return could be the cherry on top of this sundae.
Taken together, the Lakers look like a team finally clicking into something bigger than the sum of their stars. There is a balance to this group that feels fresh, and these early wins do not look like a fluke. If they keep leaning into that rhythm and trusting the roles they have built, this hot start might end up being the blueprint for something real come spring.
