LeBron James shares honest admission on Lakers' primary goal this NBA season

With only seven games remaining in the 2024-25 NBA regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers are closing in on the finish line. The team has gone through some turbulent times this season, but in recent months, they’ve found a collective rhythm and individual performances that have put them in a strong position in the Western Conference. Against this backdrop, LeBron James made it clear what the team’s goal is at this moment.

“For us, obviously, our mission is to lock in a playoff spot and not have to play in a play-in, so we understand what’s at stake,” LeBron said in an interview shared by House of Highlights after the Lakers‘ 104-98 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena.

“It’s so close this year in particular. So close that people are jumping each other, falling behind, whatever the case may be,” James explained about the battle for the sixth seed. He also admitted that he’s keeping an eye on the standings: “I don’t do it every day, but it’s talked about pretty much all the time, and you kinda see where you’re at.”

The Lakers have had an inconsistent stretch this season and found themselves in a precarious position in the standings, outside of the direct playoff spots. However, that has changed in recent months, especially with the arrival of Luka Doncic, who revitalized the team, a point James has reflected on. Currently, they sit in fourth place with a record of 46-29.

LeBron James and Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers during a game against the Utah Jazz.

However, LeBron and his teammates know they can’t afford to relax. Just below them, in fifth place, are the Memphis Grizzlies at 44-31, while the highly coveted sixth seed is held by the Golden State Warriors at 43-31. Right on their heels are the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Clippers, both at 43-32. With this scenario, it’s likely the race will continue until the final days of the regular season.

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The Lakers’ approach to the upcoming games

Recognizing the importance of what’s at stake, LeBron James spoke about the challenges ahead for the Lakers and what the playoff mentality looks like for them. “Urgency and playing with urgency,” he explained. “We know that. We’ve got a lot of playoff experience in this locker room, but we all know that one play here and one play there can be the difference between winning a playoff series and not.“

He added: “We have to have more urgency, playing with physicality and holding each other accountable. That’s most important… If you go out and have your game plan intact, try to execute it for 48 minutes, it gives you a good chance to win every night.”

LeBron values the win against Houston

For the Lakers, Monday’s victory against the Rockets was crucial not only because they needed a solid result to stay in playoff contention but also because it presented a tough challenge. “They’ve won 13 out of 14. They’ve been red hot and the hottest team in the NBA,” James said of Houston.

“We understood that we had to key in on our defensive strategies in order to win the game,” he explained before stating that the Lakers accomplished what they set out to do. “I thought defensively we were very locked in with our game plan and what we wanted to do.”