Lakers’ LeBron James out for Tuesday’s game vs. Thunder with left foot injury

Last week, when the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder by 43 points, Luka Dončić and Austin Reavessuffered injuries that will keep them out at least through the remainder of the regular season.

Five days later, the Lakers are taking on the Western Conference-leading Thunder again, and this time they won’t even have LeBron James in the lineup.

James, who is managing a left foot injury, will miss Tuesday night’s showdown in L.A., the Lakers announced hours before tip-off.

ESPN’s Dave McMenaminreported that, more specifically, James is dealing with left foot soreness. L.A. has already clinched the Pacific Division title and a spot in the playoffs. At 50-28, the Lakers are currently fourth in the West. They’re only a half-game back of the Denver Nuggets, whom they hold a tiebreaker over.

L.A. has four regular-season games remaining. That includes Tuesday’s game versus the Thunder, which marks the first of three games in four nights for JJ Redick’s injury-riddled squad.

Dončić is nursing a left hamstring strain, and the Slovenian superstar is reportedly in Europe seeking specialized medical treatment to speed up his recovery from a setback that interrupted an MVP-caliber campaign. In his first full season with the Lakers, Dončić has posted a league-leading 33.5 points per game. He went off in March, averaging 37.5 across the month, but now he has to wait and see if he’ll even be eligible for the NBA’s end-of-season awards.

Since he finished one game shy of the league’s 65-game minimum for those honors, Dončić’s camp applied for an “Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge,” citing the two games he missed for the birth of his second child.

Dončić’s injury diagnosis is a Grade 2 hamstring strain, and he’s out indefinitely at the moment. Reaves, meanwhile, is working his way back from a Grade 2 oblique strain and is reportedly expected to miss four-to-six weeks. Like Dončić, Reaves has enjoyed a career year in 2025-26. He’s averaging 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per contest.

Dončić and Reaves are the Lakers’ top scorers this season. James is third on that leaderboard. After a 134-128 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, the 41-year-old described the gut check he experienced when learning his teammates’ injury news.

“It was a shot to the heart obviously and to the chest and to the mainframe with Luka,” James said, via McMenamin. “We got that news kind of quick. … AR was kind of dealing with the [oblique] pain. … We knew he was going to get an MRI, but, yeah, I woke up from my nap yesterday and then saw that news, and I was like, ‘S***.’”

Now James, too, will be out of the Lakers’ lineup for their latest bout with the Thunder.

James, a 22-time All-Star in his NBA-record 23rd season, has appeared in 57 games this season. He missed the first 14 with sciatica, a pain that travels along the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back, through the glute and down the leg.

USDA Announces the Creation of the USDA National Proving Grounds Network to Strengthen U.S. Farm and Ranch Profitability

(Washington, D.C., April 7, 2026) – USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics Under Secretary Dr. Scott Hutchins today announced the launch of the USDA National Proving Grounds Network for AgTech (NPG-Ag), a nationwide initiative designed to rigorously evaluate agricultural technologies under real-world U.S. farming and ranching conditions.

USDA Announces New Guidance Portal

(Washington, D.C., April 7, 2026) — Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the creation of the USDA Guidance Portal. This interactive tool — a searchable, indexed database — contains guidance issued by the Department and its agencies.

Biggest Questions for West Contenders + Breaking Down the Angel Reese Trade

We have a jam-packed episode of The Dunker Spot coming your way! First, Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones look at the top-six in the Western Conference (Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets, Wolves) and share their biggest questions for each team as we inch closer to the playoffs. From there, the guys shift to the WNBA and react to the Chicago Sky’s shocking trade of Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream. They explore the logic behind it, evaluate the trade package itself, and discuss Angel’s fit with the Dream. Sticking with the W, the guys give their big takeaways from Friday’s expansion draft and catch up on other news.

If you ever have NBA or WNBA questions, email us at dunkerspot@yahoo.com.

3:33 Oklahoma City Thunder 14:19 San Antonio Spurs 22:12 Denver Nuggets 27:00 Los Angeles Lakers 33:20 Houston Rockets 41:43 Minnesota Timberwolves 47:38 Dream acquire Angel Reese 01:12:46 Expansion Draft reaction 01:21:11 Other WNBA news (Mystics, Aces, Liberty)

Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets looks on during the game against the New York Knicks on March 31, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas
Logan Riely

🖥️ Watch this full episode on the Yahoo Sports NBA YouTube channel

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

LeBron James and the continued greatness of the ‘old’ superstars

LeBron James’ 2025-26 campaign is so obviously the greatest age-41 season in NBA history, it is actually hilarious. Only four other players have even managed to play half a season at 41 years old, and James has essentially matched their production combined.

Here they all are:

AGE

SEASON

PTS-REB-AST

FG%/3P%/FT%

PER

LeBron James

41

2025-26

21-6-7

51/31/74

20.1

Kevin Willis

41

2003-04

3-2-0

47/0/62

14.9

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

41

1988-89

10-5-1

48/0/74

12.9

Vince Carter

41

2018-19

7-3-1

42/39/71

10.8

Robert Parish

41

1994-95

5-4-1

43/0/70

10.1

The old guy’s still got it. Or the old guys still got it, we should say. Because Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Kawhi Leonard are putting together special years for their ages, too.

Where do Durant and Curry rank on an age-37 scale? Pretty high! In fact, only three players ever have averaged 25 points per game at 37 years old, and two of them — Durant and Curry — are doing it this season. (The other is, of course, LeBron.)

Only 12 players ever made an All-Star team at age 37, including Durant and Curry. Only three of them — LeBron, Kareem and Karl Malone — made an All-NBA team at 37. So, you could also make a good case Durant is enjoying the best age-37 regular season ever:

AGE

SEASON

PTS-REB-AST

FG%/3P%/FT%

PER

ALL-NBA

LeBron James

37

2021-22

30-8-6

52/36/76

26.2

3rd Team

Karl Malone

37

2000-01

23-8-5

50/40/79

24.7

3rd Team

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

37

1984-85

22-8-3

60/0/73

22.9

2nd Team

Kevin Durant

37

2025-26

26-5-5

52/41/88

21.0

???

Only Abdul-Jabbar made the All-NBA Second Team at age 37 (both James and Malone were members of the Third Team), and Durant has a considerable opportunity to join him.

James’ Los Angeles Lakers failed to make the playoffs in his age-37 season. Malone’s Utah Jazz lost in the 2001 first round. Abdul-Jabbar led his Lakers to a championship, winning Finals MVP honors. So, it will be tough for Durant to match that feat, even if he currently ranks second in the NBA in total minutes for a 50-win Houston Rockets team.

As far as regular seasons go, though, Durant is the reason why Houston still has a top-10 offense, despite losing both Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams to season-ending injuries. He is averaging a 26-5-5 on 52/41/88 shooting splits. Only Al Horford, who was a fifth option on the 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics, was more efficient at 37 years old.

Curry might have joined Durant on an All-NBA team if he had not failed to meet the NBA’s 65-game requirement. In 40 games, he is averaging a 27-4-5 on 47/39/93 shooting splits. His shortened season absolutely still qualifies as one of the greatest age-37 years in history.

Most surprising, though, might be where Leonard ranks on an age-34 scale. He is averaging a 28-6-4 on 51/38/90 shooting splits, arguably his best regular season in a Hall of Fame career, for a Los Angeles Clippers team bound for the play-in tournament.

He, too, could crack the All-NBA First or Second Team. In which case, he would join another extremely short list of players who have accomplished that feat at age 34:

AGE

SEASON

PTS-REB-AST

FG%/3P%/FT%

PER

ALL-NBA

Kawhi Leonard

34

2025-26

28-6-4

51/38/90

28.2

???

Karl Malone

34

1997-98

27-10-4

53/33/76

27.9

1st Team

Michael Jordan

34

1997-98

29-6-4

47/24/78

25.2

1st Team

Stephen Curry

34

2022-23

29-6-6

49/43/92

24.1

2nd Team

Jerry West

34

1972-73

23-4-9

48/0/81

23.2

1st Team

Kobe Bryant

34

2012-13

27-6-6

46/32/84

23.0

1st Team

Sam Cassell

34

2003-04

20-3-7

49/40/87

22.8

2nd Team

Hakeem Olajuwon

34

1996-97

23-9-3

51/31/78

22.7

1st Team

Pau Gasol

34

2014-15

19-12-3

49/46/80

22.7

2nd Team

Chris Paul

34

2019-20

18-5-7

49/37/91

21.7

2nd Team

Patrick Ewing

34

1996-97

22-11-2

49/22/75

21.3

2nd Team

Elgin Baylor

34

1968-69

25-11-5

45/0/74

20.7

1st Team

Dikembe Mutombo

34

2000-01

10-14-1

48/0/73

17.5

2nd Team

John Havlicek

34

1974-75

19-6-5

46/0/87

16.7

2nd Team

Bob Cousy

34

1962-63

13-3-7

40/0/74

16.6

2nd Team

Again, there is a pretty good argument to be made — one based on Player Efficiency Rating — that Leonard is enjoying the greatest statistical age-34 regular season ever.

To be fair: It is hard to top Michael Jordan’s age-34 season. In 1997-98, he led his Chicago Bulls to a sixth championship in eight years, sweeping the regular-season and Finals MVP awards. For good measure, Jordan also made the All-Defensive First Team at 34 years old.

However, Leonard is averaging comparable numbers to ‘98 Jordan on better efficiency (Kawhi: 63.0 TS%; Jordan: 53.3 TS%), which explains the PER gap. There is also an All-Defensive case for Leonard this season, as he is among the NBA’s leaders in both steals and deflections. Only Nikola Jokić (+16.7) and Victor Wembanyama (+15.7) own a higher on/off efficiency rating than Leonard (+14.7) among NBA regulars, per Cleaning the Glass.

It is a testament to this year’s MVP field that Leonard could be enjoying a statistically comparable season to ‘98 Jordan and finish no higher than fifth in the voting. That is how good Jokić, Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Dončić have been this season.

It is also no guarantee Leonard even cracks the All-NBA First Team, since Jaylen Brown is enjoying a comparable season (29-7-5 on 48/35/80; 22.2 PER) for a better team. Plenty of other candidates, including Donovan Mitchell, warrant serious consideration.

Should Leonard make the All-NBA Second Team instead, he will be the first non-center to log a 28.1 PER and fail to make the All-NBA First Team since 27-year-old Durant in 2015-16.

In other words, either compare Leonard’s age-34 campaign to Jordan’s at the same age or to prime Durant. Either one. Point being: We are witnessing some of the best age-34, age-37 and age-41 seasons, all at the same time, courtesy of Leonard, Durant and James.

Appreciate them while you can, for none of them may make it out of the opening round. Partly because Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama are respectively enjoying two of the greatest age-27and age-22 seasons ever. The same could be said of Jokić at age 30, Dončić at age 26, Cooper Flagg at age 19 and more. It is an embarrassment of NBA riches.

Where to watch Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Tuesday, April 7

The Los Angeles Dodgers, leading the NL West with an 8-2 record, face the Toronto Blue Jays, who are ranked fourth in the AL East with a 4-6 record, on Tuesday night in Game 2 of the 2025 World Series rematch. The Dodgers dominated Game 1, trouncing the Blue Jays 14-2, as two-way star Shohei Ohtani and OF Kyle Tucker combined for five runs.

The Dodgers are favored with a moneyline of -150, while Toronto holds a moneyline of +125. Starting pitchers are Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-1) for the Dodgers, with a 3.00 ERA, and Kevin Gausman (0-0) for the Blue Jays, boasting a 0.75 ERA.

  • Date: Tuesday, April 7

  • Time: 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT

  • Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON

  • TV Channels: TBS, Sportsnet | TVA Sports, SportsNet LA (local affiliates)

  • Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

  • Los Angeles Dodgers: 8-2 (first in NL West)

  • Toronto Blue Jays: 4-6 (fourth in AL East)

  • Spread: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5

  • Moneyline: Toronto Blue Jays +125, Los Angeles Dodgers -150

  • Over/Under: 7.5

Los Angeles Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-1, ERA: 3.00, K: 8, WHIP: 0.83)

Toronto Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman (0-0, ERA: 0.75, K: 21, WHIP: 0.25)

Weather: 36°F at first pitch

Where to watch New York Yankees vs. A’s: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Tuesday, April 7

The New York Yankees (7-2), ranked first in the AL East, face the Athletics (3-6), ranked fifth in the AL West, in the first matchup of their three-game series. The Yankees are favored with a moneyline of -235 and a point spread of -1.5 at BetMGM. Starting pitchers are Aaron Civale (1-0) for the Athletics with a 3.60 ERA and Cam Schlittler (2-0) for the Yankees with a 0.00 ERA.

  • Date: Tuesday, April 7

  • Time: 7:05 p.m. ET / 4:05 p.m. PT

  • Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

  • TV channels: YES, NBC Sports California (Local affiliates)

  • Live stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

  • New York Yankees: 7-2 (first in AL East)

  • Athletics: 3-6 (fifth in AL West)

  • Spread: New York Yankees -1.5

  • Moneyline: New York Yankees -235, Athletics +190

  • Over/Under: 8.5

Athletics: Aaron Civale (1-0, ERA: 3.60, K: 3, WHIP: 1.00)

New York Yankees: Cam Schlittler (2-0, ERA: 0.00, K: 15, WHIP: 0.26)

Weather: 43°F at first pitch

Where to watch Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Tuesday, April 7

The Oklahoma City Thunder, with a record of 62-16 and ranked first in the Northwest Division, are favorites with a -2500 moneyline as they face the LA Lakers. The Lakers, who hold a 50-28 record and are first in the Pacific Division, have a +1050 moneyline and a 17.5-point spread against them.

The Lakers are currently hoping to fend off the Denver Nuggets for the No. 3 seed in the West, with just two losses separating the Lakers, Nuggets and Rockets. LA will be without both Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) for the remainder of the regular season.

The Thunder have clinched a playoff berth and are in control of their own destiny to secure the No. 1 seed in the West. OKC needs two more wins to clinch the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, currently three games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs.

  • Date: Tuesday, April 7

  • Time: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT

  • Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles

  • TV Channels: SN-LA, FDSO (Local affiliates)

  • Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

  • Oklahoma City Thunder: 62-16 (No. 1 in Northwest Division)

  • Los Angeles Lakers: 50-28 (No. 1 in Pacific Division)

  • Spread: Oklahoma City Thunder -17.5

  • Moneyline: Los Angeles Lakers +1050, Oklahoma City Thunder -2500

  • Over/Under: 223.5

Where to watch Boston Celtics vs. Charlotte Hornets: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Tuesday, April 7

The Boston Celtics, ranked first in the Atlantic Division with a 53-25 record, are favored by 4.5 points against the Charlotte Hornets, who are ranked second in the Southeast Division with a 43-36 record. Boston’s moneyline is set at -220, indicating a 68.8% chance of winning, while Charlotte’s is +180 with a 35.7% probability.

The Celtics have clinched a playoff berth, set to play as either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, while the Hornets are looking to avoid the play-in tournament, with the No. 10 seed still a possibility with just three games left on their schedule.

  • Date: Tuesday, April 7

  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

  • Where: TD Garden, Boston

  • TV channels: NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Boston (Local affiliate)

  • Live stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

  • Charlotte Hornets: 43-36 (No. 2 in Southeast Division)

  • Boston Celtics: 53-25 (No. 1 in Atlantic Division)

  • Spread: Boston Celtics -4.5

  • Moneyline: Boston Celtics -220, Charlotte Hornets +180

  • Over/Under: 221.5