Home News and Articles Is LeBron James Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Lakers-Thunder)

Is LeBron James Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Lakers-Thunder)

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The Los Angeles Lakers will remain without superstar LeBron James on Thursday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the four-time champion is getting closer to a return to the floor.

Earlier this week, it was reported that James is expected to practice with the South Bay Lakers this week as he continues to ramp up for a return to the court. The All-NBA forward has been sidelined to open the 2025-26 season with sciatica.

James has been cleared for basketball activities and contact for about a week now, and he’ll test his injury in some 5-on-5 action at some point this week. There likely aren’t too many hurdles that James needs to clear after this, as it was originally expected that he’d return to the lineup at some time in November.

Still, the Lakers will miss his presence on Wednesday night, as they are 6.5-point road underdogs against the defending champion Thunder. OKC is coming off a blowout win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday and is an impressive 11-1 overall this season.

With James out of the lineup, there is one Lakers player prop that I believe is worth a look on Wednesday night.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Austin Reaves OVER 2.5 3-Pointers Made (-151)

With James out to start the season, Austin Reaves has stepped up in a big way for the Lakers, averaging 30.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game across eight appearances. He’s shooting 48.0 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from 3.

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While Reaves hasn’t shot the 3-ball at a high rate, he is taking a ton of them. The star guard is averaging 2.9 made 3s on 8.9 attempts per game, taking at least eight shots from beyond the arc in each of his last six gmaes. He’s knocked down three or more 3-pointers in four of his eight games this season.

This is actually a favorable matchup for Reaves, as OKC ranks 27th in the NBA in opponent 3s made per game (14.8) and 24th in opponent 3-point percentage (37.3 percent).

If Reaves’ volume remains around nine 3-point attempts per night, he’s worth a look to clear this prop on Wednesday.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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