The Lakers held a spin cycling competition, and James was super serious! The Lakers have a secret weapon now, at 21 years old.

Today, the Lakers conducted their second training session preparing for the series against the Rockets. Reaves showed improvement; yesterday he was just shooting in flip-flops, but today he switched back to sneakers.

The whole team also participated in a spin cycling challenge, and from the looks of it, LeBron clearly won. However, Hachimura's expression was quite amusing.

Amid the turbulence the Lakers faced this year, James has been one of the few steady sources of hope. Now, with Doncic and Reaves likely missing the first round of the playoffs, they are relying on James to sustain the team's championship hopes.

During today's training, Hachimura spoke to the media about James's impact this season, praising him generously and revealing that the LeBron he sees this year is completely different from what he observed before.

“This is my fourth season with the Lakers,” Hachimura said. “Every year we have a different team culture, different teammates, and LeBron’s performance, especially this year, is really very different. I think he respects the team, respects the coaches, respects his teammates. He understands his role within the team. It’s fantastic; he is very vocal and is one of our leaders. He has been doing great, and I think that’s why we secured the fourth seed in the West.”

At 41 years old, James originally wasn’t intended to be the Lakers’ primary offensive option in the playoffs. In fact, he willingly embraced a supporting role to help elevate Doncic and Reaves.

James hasn’t had much experience playing a “secondary” role, but he fully utilized this position to help the team lock in the fourth seed in the West. During this process, he still delivered solid averages: 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.6 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 51.5% and a three-point percentage of 31.7%.

Although LeBron has delegated more on the court, he maintains authority in the locker room, providing guidance and steady leadership for younger teammates. Most importantly, his sacrifice and humility set the ultimate example, fostering a team-first mentality that everyone has adopted. This might be one of James’s most remarkable achievements, and it clearly left a deep impression on Hachimura—who will be a key figure for the Lakers to sustain hope during this critical period.

At 41 years old, considering the wear and tear of his career, whether James can lead the team to eliminate the Rockets remains to be seen, but the extra rest days between the first few games are undoubtedly beneficial for him. There are three days off between G1 and G2, three days between G2 and G3, and three days between G4 and G5.

Redick stated: “He’s 41. So, yes. Any additional rest is good.”

Redick also expressed full confidence in Bronny: “In this series, every available player must pull together, and Bronny must be ready. I think he has improved tremendously, and we fully trust him. Regarding shooting, I believe in him because his shooting in the G League over the past two years has been excellent. He has made huge strides defensively, both in positioning with and without the ball. We also hope he continues to evolve as a disruptor and defender.”

In the previous game, Redick told Bronny: “Be ready; we need your performance in the playoffs.”

James will lead the Lakers forward, while his son will provide crucial support in the backcourt. If they can play their cards well and other players step up to fill the gaps from injuries, there might be a chance to accomplish the impossible.

However, the Lakers must be careful not to overexert James physically; burdening him too heavily could push his durability to the limit. That’s why a cautious strategy is needed for the future, along with a plan to limit his scoring burden in the first round.

If the Lakers can protect possession and limit opponents’ second-chance opportunities, this could become key to an upset victory. Regardless of the game plan, James will be needed to ensure its proper execution.