Kenny Smith has had two of his closest friends and colleagues predict that the Houston Rockets would sweep the Los Angeles Lakers, all in the same week. Two games into the first round, that sweep isn’t happening. But a sweep the other way remains possible. To highlight how LeBron James has flipped the script, we only had to watch Kenny appear on First Take, where he credited his former team with adding more clarity to the GOAT debate. And, somewhat surprisingly, even Stephen A. Smith didn’t disagree.

With the Lakers holding a 2–0 lead over the Rockets, thanks to a vintage 28-point, 8-rebound, 7-assist masterclass from LeBron James in Game 2, The Jet declared that the 41-year-old icon is narrowing the gap between himself and Michael Jordan.

“LeBron James has moved a slight bit closer to the legacy of Michael Jordan in my mind because this is incredible that a guy who’s 41 years old is leading a team this way,” Smith remarked.

Smith emphasized that James’ greatness in this series stems from his ability to elevate a supporting cast in the absence of stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. With the primary options sidelined, James has transformed role players into prominent threats.

“He is making three guys who were really just thought of to space the floor… he has made them prominent offensive threats right now, which is incredible,” Smith noted, specifically citing the resurgent play of Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, and Deandre Ayton.

Smart exploded for 25 points while putting on his defensive best. Luka Kennard was the consistent sniper, racking up 23 points.

The Lakers have suffered from the B-team’s inconsistency and injuries all season. Those factors had led Charles Barkley and Stephen A. Smith to call an LA sweep by Houston. Someone more familiar with those scenarios is contradicting them, and yet has the luxury of being right.

Kenny Smith forced Stephen A. Smith to accept LeBron’s greatness

The praise is particularly significant, given the sources. Kenny Smith, Michael Jordan’s UNC teammate, is a Houston Rockets legend who helped lead the franchise to back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995. The latter was by sweeping the Shaquille O’Neal-led Orlando Magic. Yet his team’s misery doesn’t bother him.

For him to laud the man dismantling his former team speaks volumes about the undeniable nature of James’ performance. Even more shocking was the immediate agreement from Stephen A. Smith, who arguably has more incentive to criticize LeBron James. They’ve been embroiled in a public feud that peaked when James himself confronted SAS at a game in 2025. Since then, the other Smith has taken a harsher stance on King James. Yet there are moments he admits Bron is inevitable, like this time.

“Shockingly, I’m glad you’re sitting down, I agree with you. He’s moving closer to that GOAT status,” Stephen A. admitted. “I agree with you because I think what he’s done is phenomenal: to be on the Mount Rushmore of basketball as one of the top four players in the history of basketball, and to be deferential to Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic throughout the year; to play all five positions… doing whatever it takes to win.”

Stephen A.’s U-turn might be more shocking here than Kenny almost calling the GOAT race. The Rockets have struggled to justify the pre-series hype created by ESPN vets. Despite the presence of Kevin Durant, Houston shot a dismal 24% on wide-open threes in Game 2.

Stephen A. pointed out the coaching disparity as a major factor, stating that Ime Udoka is currently being “out-coached by JJ Redick,” who has successfully found defensive solutions to stifle Durant in the second half of games. As the series shifts to Houston, the alignment of the two Smiths (whose arguments are usually about who is the better 3-point shooter between them) underscores a shift in the national narrative, as the Lakers outperformed expectations with their primary scorers.