LeBron James previews Thunder ahead of 2026 NBA playoff series

Being penciled in for about a week, things became official on Friday. The Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Los Angeles Lakers in Round 2 of the 2026 NBA playoffs. And for the first time since 2012, LeBron James will be in OKC for postseason basketball.

The Thunder completed another Round 1 sweep with a Game 4 win over the Phoenix Suns this past Monday. Since then, the reigning NBA champions have been chilling. Jalen Williams has been given ample time to return from a hamstring strain.

Meanwhile, the Lakers avoided catastrophe. After going up 3-0 in their Round 1 series, they eventually closed things out on the road with a Game 6 win over the Houston Rockets . They did so without Luka Doncic.

He remains out with a hamstring strain and will likely miss the start of their Round 2 matchup. That means the Lakers' long-shot hopes fall on James' shoulders. Not fair to expect a 41-year-old to carry you into NBA playoff wins over the title favorites, but that's the reality of the situation.