Is LeBron James Playing Tonight Against Mavericks? Exploring Lakers Injury Report Ahead of Luka Doncic’s Revenge Game

The Lakers aren’t catching a break this week. After wrapping up a tough one in OKC, they’re headed straight to Dallas for Wednesday’s matchup. And let’s be real—this isn’t just any game. Luka Doncic is making his return to the city he used to run. You can already feel the tension building. Funny thing is, Tuesday night felt like it was going to be a rest day. Everyone figured LeBron James, Luka, maybe even a few more vets would sit that one out.

But nope—just a couple of hours before tipoff, the big names suited up. It felt like they were going all-in to keep the streak alive. Did it work? Not quite. Even with the stars on the floor, L.A. couldn’t get past the Thunder. That short-lived two-game streak? Gone. So now, they’re rolling into Dallas with tired legs and zero momentum. Add in the drama of Luka’s first game back since the trade, and it’s got all the makings of a spicy showdown. So will the King suit up for Doncic’s revenge game?

The Lakers will be taking on the Mavs on the second night of their back-to-back so they aren’t required to submit a report hours before the tipoff. But since nothing went wrong against the Thunder on Tuesday, its safe to say LeBron will be playing against the Mavs. But heading into the matchup against OKC, the Lakers’ injury report looked more like a casting call than a roster update. LeBron James was marked as questionable, so fans weren’t exactly sure if he’d suit up or sit this one out. Luka wasn’t a lock either—he landed on the questionable list.

Apr 3, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) moves the ball up court ahead of Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (5) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

And the uncertainty didn’t stop there.

Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, Bronny James, and Dorian Finney-Smith were all listed with questionable tags, which only added to the pregame head-scratching. Maxi Kleber and Rui Hachimura? Yeah, they were already ruled out.

But the drama didn’t stop with the lineup. The real chaos hit in the fourth quarter when Luka got tossed during Tuesday’s clash with OKC. After picking up a second technical foul for allegedly chirping at the ref, the 5x All-Star insisted he wasn’t talking to the officials at all—he was jawing with a courtside fan.

LeBron James backs up Luka Doncic

The Lakers looked like they were about to handle business Tuesday night in OKC. Up 108-107 with under eight minutes left, things were lining up for a huge win. But then, boom—everything flipped. Doncic got ejected, and the wheels completely fell off.

His second tech came after an exchange courtside, and while officials claimed he directed “vulgar language” at them, Luka wasn’t having it. Postgame, he clarified that he was jawing with a fan, not the refs. “I’ve never gotten a fan ejected… if you’re gonna talk, I’m gonna talk back,” he explained. Honestly, that tracks—anyone who’s watched Luka knows he feeds off that kind of energy.

LeBron James wasn’t about to let his teammate take the blame, either. He came to Luka’s defense fast, calling out the official’s call as overly personal. “Luka was going back and forth… with a fan,” LeBron told reporters. “Like Luka does.” The vibe? He felt the ref overreacted, plain and simple.

Feb 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Luka Doncic (77) during the first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

And it wasn’t just the players side-eyeing the call. Head coach JJ Redick voiced his disappointment too, saying the game didn’t get the ending basketball fans deserved because of one individual’s decision-making.

With Doncic out, the Thunder steamrolled the Lakers on a 29-12 run. Just like that, L.A. missed a shot at a second win over OKC in the same week—plus the chance to clinch a guaranteed playoff spot. Instead, they dropped to 48-31, clinging to the No. 3 seed, one game ahead of Denver.

Now, with a tough back-to-back in Dallas, then Houston and Portland to close out the season, the Lakers don’t have time to lick their wounds. If they want to hold onto that top-three seed, every possession—technical or not—will matter.

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