LeBron James stats on hold as Bronny delivers season-high in short-handed Lakers loss

With LeBron James sidelined, the Los Angeles Lakers absorbed a 136-108 defeat to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, Feb. 10 (ET), but rookie Bronny James seized the moment with his best NBA outing to date. One night later, he carried that form into the G League, reinforcing his push for a steadier rotation role as the All-Star break approaches.

Short-handed Lakers routed in San Antonio

The Lakers traveled to San Antonio missing a full complement of front-line contributors, including Luka Doncic (hamstring), LeBron James (foot), Austin Reaves (left calf), Marcus Smart (right ankle) and Deandre Ayton (knee). The depleted roster struggled to match the Spurs’ pace and size as Victor Wembanyama keyed a runaway performance for the home side.

The defeat did little to alter the Lakers’ broader outlook. At 32-21, they remain fifth in the Western Conference, only 1.5 games back of the No. 3 seed in a tight mid-pack race. Chasing down the top seed held by Oklahoma City at 41-13 remains a long shot, but the path to an automatic playoff berth is well within reach.

Bronny James turns in season-best line vs. Spurs

Bronny James used the expanded opportunity to post a season-high 12 points on 50% shooting, including a perfect 2-for-2 from three. He added three rebounds, a team-leading six assists and a block in 25 minutes, showcasing poise as a secondary playmaker and timely spot-up threat. One of his highlights was a showtime alley-oop setup to fellow rookie Adou Thiero for a two-handed finish.

It was a sharp response after the rookie had hovered on the edge of the rotation and absorbed a pair of DNPs in recent outings. Earlier this month, he was assigned to the G League following the Feb. 7 win over Golden State, then recalled ahead of this week’s back-to-back. For the 2025-26 regular season, he is averaging 1.9 points, 1.1 assists, 0.4 rebounds and 0.4 steals in 6.8 minutes across 27 NBA appearances.

After the game, Bronny emphasized that his focus starts on the defensive end. He noted the roster already features enough high-usage scorers and said he aims to complement them by guarding, moving the ball and making connective plays that keep the offense flowing.

Momentum carries into G League showcase

On Wednesday, Feb. 11 (ET), James suited up for the South Bay Lakers and mirrored his NBA output: 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting with two made threes, three rebounds, six assists and two blocks in 29 minutes off the bench in a 128-116 win over the San Diego Clippers. He front-loaded his scoring, dropping all 12 before halftime on 5-of-6 shooting and 2-of-3 from deep, then shifted into a facilitator’s role after the break, handing out four assists and finishing plus-17 with two turnovers.

With multiple NBA assignments in uniform, South Bay spread the minutes and touches widely. Even so, James’ blend of on-ball pace, quick decisions and activity at the point of attack stood out—an encouraging sign for a player carving out a niche as a defense-first guard who can steady bench units.

Inside the Lakers’ locker room: belief despite injuries

The injuries have forced significant lineup shuffling, but the message out of the locker room remains consistent. “Our team believes that we can be contenders and make a deep playoff run,” Bronny said postgame. “Once we get healthy, it’s just gonna come down to playing hard and playing smart and winning games.”

That mindset dovetails with the standings reality. With a cluster of teams separated by only a few games, there is still room for upward mobility around the All-Star break. Cleaning up transition defense, stabilizing second-unit ball-handling and getting healthy are the immediate checkpoints.

LeBron James stats paused; role clarity for Bronny

LeBron James’ foot issue kept him out Tuesday, leaving his season ledger unchanged and highlighting how thin the margin can be when multiple primary creators sit. The Lakers are managing injuries with an eye on the stretch run, but the ripple effect has been additional evaluation time for younger players.

For Bronny, that likely means a continued emphasis on earning minutes with defensive energy, low-turnover decision-making and opportunistic shooting. He has already shown flashes as a connector—hitting the open three, keeping the ball hopping and sprinting back to snuff out opponent runs. As the roster gets closer to whole, that profile could help him stake a place in the guard and wing rotation behind the team’s lead scorers.

With the schedule tightening and seeding margins thin, every possession matters. LeBron James’ stats might be on hold for now, but the Lakers are finding small positives in the meantime—chief among them a rookie who looks increasingly comfortable on both NBA and G League stages.