The Los Angeles Lakers have hit their stride in the early days of 2026, currently sitting at 22-11 and holding down the third spot in a ruthless Western Conference. They trail only the surging San Antonio Spurs (25-10) and the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder (30-6). The primary engine behind this success has been Luka Doncic, who is currently torching the league with a blistering 33.7 points per game. This scoring output mirrors his historic 2023 campaign with the Mavericks, the year he and Kyrie Irving pushed Dallas all the way to the Finals before falling to Boston. Now, paired with a 41-year-old LeBron James, the hope in L.A. is that Doncic can finally secure that elusive ring and return the Lakers to the mountaintop for the first time since their 2020 bubble championship.
Surpassing Chris Paul for Second in All-Time in Assists
Since Austin Reaves went down with an injury on Christmas Day. a night that also saw one of LeBron’s personal worst statistical outings, the “King” has clearly flicked the switch. In the four games since, James has led the Lakers to a 3-1 record while averaging 24 points and 6.3 assists.
That resurgence culminated in a 120-114 comeback victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, where LeBron was the undisputed catalyst. James finished the night with 26 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists, but it was that final assist that etched his name into a new chapter of the record books.
With that performance, LeBron officially surpassed Chris Paul for second place in all-time career assists (combining regular season and playoffs), bringing his total to 13,793. Passing a pure playmaker like Paul, who led the NBA in assists in five different seasons, is a testament to LeBron’s unparalleled versatility. While John Stockton’s record of 17,645 assists remains virtually untouchable, James has now achieved a feat no other player in history can claim: being the all-time leader in points while ranking second in assists. In his 23rd season, he is also closing in on the record for most games played and maintains a top-five ranking in steals, numbers that represent a level of longevity the sports world may never see again.
The Pursuit of Fifth Ring for LeBron James
Individual accolades are piling up, but for LeBron, the motivation remains the hardware. With Luka Doncic playing at an MVP level, the focus in the Lakers’ locker room is firmly on championship number five. A fifth ring would not only break the tie between James and Stephen Curry but would also pull him even with icons like Magic Johnson, Tim Duncan, and the legendary Kobe Bryant. However, the path through the West is as treacherous as ever, and the Lakers cannot afford to get complacent with their early-season success.
The upcoming week will be a massive litmus test for JJ Redick’s squad. The Lakers are heading out on a road trip to face the Pelicans and a surprisingly competitive Spurs team before returning to the Crypto.com Arena for a high-stakes clash against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. That Friday night matchup against the Bucks is particularly interesting given the persistent rumors linking Giannis to a potential move to Los Angeles; a dominant performance by the Lakers might just be the final pitch needed to turn those rumors into reality
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