The Los Angeles Lakers continued their late-season surge Thursday night, extending their winning streak to eight games with a 134-126 victory over the Miami Heat, while ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst offered a confident assessment of LeBron James’ mindset.
Speaking on Friday’s broadcast of First Take, Windhorst pointed to what he described as a key indicator behind the Lakers’ recent success.
“The best thing I can say about the Lakers right now… LeBron believes. This is a nuanced thing but if you watch LeBron over the decades, there’s times when you get to a point in the season where you know he doesn’t believe in his team. And you can’t see it in stats, you just know it when you see it. Well I know it when I see it. LeBron believes in this team.”
The Lakers’ performance in Miami reflected that confidence, as they improved to 45-25 on the season — their first time reaching 20 games above .500 since the 2019-20 campaign, when they went on to win the NBA championship.
James delivered a triple-double in the win, finishing with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in 38 minutes. He shot 8-for-12 from the field and 3-for-5 from the free-throw line while playing on the second night of a back-to-back after the team arrived in Miami at approximately 5 a.m. ET.
"I know it when I see it. LeBron believes in this team." 👀👀👀
(Via @FirstTake / h/t @awfulannouncing )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 20, 2026
Brian Windhorst highlights LeBron James’ belief as Lakers’ surge continues
The outing followed another efficient performance from James the previous night, when he scored 30 points on 13-for-14 shooting in a victory over the Houston Rockets.
While James orchestrated the offense, Luka Doncic provided the scoring punch. The star guard recorded a career-high as a Laker with 60 points, adding seven rebounds, five steals and three assists. Doncic shot 18-for-30 from the field, 9-for-17 from three-point range and 15-for-17 from the free-throw line across 38 minutes, overwhelming Miami’s defense throughout the contest.
The Lakers’ recent stretch has been defined by offensive efficiency and balance, with multiple players contributing at a high level as the team continues climbing the Western Conference standings. The combination of James’ playmaking and Doncic’s scoring has created consistent pressure on opposing defenses during the winning streak.
Los Angeles will look to extend its momentum Saturday night when it travels to face the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center. The Magic enter the matchup with a 38-31 record as both teams continue positioning for the postseason.
With the regular season entering its final stretch, the Lakers’ current form has reinforced Windhorst’s assessment, as the team continues to build rhythm and confidence behind its veteran leader.
