LeBron James shifted the focus toward his co-star Luka Dončić’s absence after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 108-90 Game 1 road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
While James still thrived amid his team’s offensive letdown against the defending champions, former NBA lottery pick Rashad McCants expects more from the 22-time All-Star in the Western Conference semifinals.
Rashad McCants Urges LeBron James to ‘Take Over’ Lakers-Thunder Series
Continuing to operate without Dončić, who has been sidelined since April 2 with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, James was energized to kick off Game 1, scoring 5 quick points as LA seized an early 7-0 lead.
However, the Lakers’ advantage was quickly erased, as the Thunder’s league-best defense proved to be too much for them to overcome. James and Co. were outscored in every quarter, with star guard Austin Reaves disappearing offensively.
Reaves shot a putrid 3-for-16 (18.8%) as LA squandered James’ game-high 27-point performance. Though the 41-year-old went 12-for-17 from the field (70.6%), the Lakers still fell behind by as many as 21 points, appearing outmatched on both ends.
After the contest, James turned heads by attributing LA’s offensive shortcomings to Dončić, who averaged a league-leading 33.5 points per game in the regular season, being out of commission.
However, according to McCants, the 23-year veteran should’ve taken it upon himself to carry his undermanned squad to victory.
“16 points in the first half. LeBron James set the tone early, brought the energy that was gonna be displayed throughout the game, and ended up with 5 points in the fourth quarter,” McCants began on Wednesday’s edition of “Gil’s Arena.”
“You’re talking about true leadership with a guy like this. 23 years, you’re beyond a vet. You know exactly what it takes to beat a team like this. You’ve seen everything, you know all the schemes, you know all the strategies, you know what’s gonna happen.
“… The game was close up until the fourth, so what’s stopping you from taking the game over? That’s always been my question with LeBron. … If you are the GOAT … display it. Show it.”
Rashad McCants criticizes LeBron James for his lack of aggressiveness in Game 1 👀
“What’s stopping you from taking the game over? It’s always been my question with LeBron. He’s just gotta do better, and it ain’t got sh*t to do with his age.” pic.twitter.com/NSmmGJ637j
— Gil’s Arena (@GilsArenaShow) May 6, 2026
McCants even went as far as to claim that James “didn’t do his part” and should’ve “taken more shots” amid the Lakers’ comeback bid.
The 41-year-old’s harsh assessment of James’ 27-point effort comes despite McCants having lasted just four years in the NBA after being picked 14th in the 2005 Draft. McCants retired with career averages of 10.0 points a night across 249 appearances, undermining his criticism of arguably the league’s greatest player ever.
Regardless, James will likely need far more offensive help during Thursday’s Game 2 showdown in Oklahoma City for LA to stand a chance against the 64-win juggernaut, which remains undefeated (5-0) this postseason.
