LeBron James Reacts to Lakers’ Bronny James Move in Game 1 Against Rockets

Sami HaiderSun, April 19, 2026 at 5:05 AM UTC

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The Los Angeles Lakers opened their 2026 first-round playoff series with a 107-98 win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena.

Without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, both sidelined indefinitely with hamstring and oblique strains, the short-handed Lakers leaned on LeBron James and a deeper rotation that included increased minutes for Bronny James.

LeBron finished with 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 13 assists in 38 minutes, controlling the game as a primary ball-handler. Luke Kennard led all scorers with 27 points off the bench. DeAndre Ayton added a solid interior presence with 19 points and 11 rebounds. The convincing victory gave the Purple and Gold a 1-0 series lead heading into Game 2 on Tuesday.

However, the night carried extra weight for the James family because Bronny played meaningful stretches alongside his father, marking the first time a father-son duo shared the floor in an NBA postseason game.

The 21-year-old checked in early in the second quarter alongside his father and spent nearly four and a half minutes on the floor together, drawing a massive ovation from the home crowd.

He played four minutes total, going scoreless but finishing a plus-3. While his stats were modest, the moment was the main event.

In the postgame locker room, LeBron couldn’t stop reflecting on the moment, saying, “Shit I was on the floor with my son, in a playoff game. That’s one of the coolest things ever. That’s just insane. My mom get to watch her son and grandson in the playoffs. That’s crazy.”

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Earlier in the week, ahead of Game 1, LeBron had already telegraphed how much this meant to him.

"Every moment we get an opportunity to play together, it's something that I'll never take for granted," James told reporters Thursday. "Me being on the floor with him in postseason, regular season, training camp, practices, it's the best thing that's ever happened to me in my career, above everything that I've accomplished."

Bronny appeared in 42 regular-season games this year, averaging 2.9 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 8.9 minutes per game while shooting 40.9% from the field and 38.6% from three. His role grew late in the year as the Lakers navigated injuries, giving him chances to show improved decision-making and perimeter shooting.

However, Saturday was a big night for the James family, as LeBron’s mother, Gloria, watched her son and grandson play in the same NBA playoff game.

The Lakers face the Rockets again for Game 2 on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET. Since Doncic and Reaves are still out with injuries, Bronny will likely continue to see significant playing time.

Related: Lakers Fans React to Bronny James Decision During Game 1 Against Rockets

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Sports”