Present and former Lakers praise LeBron’s clutch gene after big Game 3

Behind the heroics of a 41-year-old LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers got a huge win over the Houston Rockets on Friday night in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

The play of the game came in the final moments of the fourth quarter, when James forced a turnover before hitting a game-tying 3-pointer to give the Lakers life.

After the game, which L.A. ultimately won in overtime, James’ clutch gene drew lots of praise.

When all was said and done, James finished the game with 29 points, 13 boards and six assists in 45 minutes of playing time. His efforts helped the Lakers steal Game 3 and take a massive 3-0 lead in the series, putting the team in prime position to advance to the second round.

James, the oldest active player in the NBA, has run the show for the Lakers so far in the playoffs with star teammates Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves nursing injuries. Unbelievably, the veteran is now averaging 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game in the first-round series against Houston.

L.A.’s supporting cast also deserves tons of credit, with players like Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura all playing at very high levels in these playoffs. Kennard (21.3), Smart (20.3) and Hachimura (16.3) are each averaging over 15 points per game this postseason, and incredibly, all of them are shooting at least 50 percent from both the field and 3-point range.

The supporting cast is also contributing in other facets of the game, with Smart’s 8.3 assists and 3.7 steals per contest an easy place to start when looking for evidence.

James and the Lakers will now have a chance to sweep the Rockets on Sunday when they meet for Game 4. No team in NBA history has ever lost a playoff series after taking a 3-0 lead, so L.A. is in fantastic shape to earn a likely date with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round.

The longer the Lakers go, the healthier they will hope to get, which could give James and company a chance to go on a run in these playoffs. The franchise hasn’t won a playoff series since 2023 but appears to be on the verge of ending that drought.