The Los Angeles Lakers picked up a strong win in their recent outing against the New York Knicks. Noticeably absent from the team’s win was LeBron James.
With the Lakers earning one of their most impressive wins of the season without James in the lineup, a top NBA analyst provided a stunning take on the situation.
NBA Analyst Says Lakers Are Better Without LeBron James On The Floor
NBA analyst Brian Windhorst discussed the Lakers on ESPN’s “First Take” and claimed the team is better without James in the lineup. Windhorst said, “Now this is not a commentary on LeBron, but when LeBron doesn’t play, and Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić do, the Lakers are a better team.
“Now, JJ Redick might say to you, ‘Give me more time, we’re getting better with that trio’; however, the numbers say that when Luka and Reaves play together, the Lakers are a really good team. They’re better defensively, and they’re better offensively.”
“When LeBron doesn’t play… the Lakers are a better team… The numbers say when Luka and Reaves play together, the Lakers are a really good team.”
— Brian Windhorst 😳
(via @FirstTake h/t @NBA__Courtside)pic.twitter.com/nuGXY4tdwd
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 9, 2026
James was ruled out of the Lakers’ 110-97 win over the Knicks due to elbow pain. Dončić and Reaves picked up the intensity with James out of action. Dončić had a poor shooting performance but still scored 35 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists. Reaves scored 25 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and had 5 assists in the win.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the performance was the star duo’s contribution defensively. They combined for five steals and helped hold a top-10 Knicks offense to under 100 points.
The Lakers certainly need James to get where they’re trying to go this season, but Windhorst’s take reinforces the belief by many that James is now the most expendable of the Lakers’ star trio.
Dončić and Reaves have a plus-3.3 rating when they share the court together, while James has a -0.9 plus/minus rating with Reaves and a -1.2 plus/minus rating with Dončić. The Lakers are primed to dominate offseason headlines this summer.
James is essentially playing year to year at this point, though many voices around the NBA expect him to return next season with another team instead of the Lakers. It felt like the Lakers were anticipating the end of the LeBron era when they acquired Dončić. However, they probably weren’t expecting Reaves to play a significant role in turning the page from James.
Reaves is expected to get a massive raise this summer, as he has become a legit All-Star-level backcourt partner for Dončić. Whether the duo will be able to lead the Lakers to a championship like James did remains to be seen, but Windhorst’s comments add more fuel to the belief that the Lakers are ready to see what the duo can do without James around.
