“I Will Be Rooting for LeBron Now”: Rockets Star’s Mother Switches Sides After Team’s Loss to Lakers

Friday night felt like a storm waiting to break, and the Los Angeles Lakers made sure it did. Facing the danger of wasting a 3-0 cushion against a Kevin Durant-less Houston Rockets side, all eyes turned to LeBron James. He answered with 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists, sealing dominance and quietly crushing hopes. Including a painful moment for Tari Eason ’s mother, Teroya Eason, when it mattered most under heavy pressure.

Eason’s mother is highly active on social media. She often shares her thoughts on X, and this time, as the Rockets’ season came to an end, she wrote again. “We got cooked like a honeybaked ham. And you guys will be happy to know I cried in that goddamn stadium. I cried I cried I cried. I wanted it so badly,” Teroya Eason tweeted. She added, “I really believe in them. I wish I didn’t love basketball, but I will be rooting for LeBron now, like I’ve been since 2006.🤷🏾‍♀️”

While Tari Eason managed 14 points across 37 minutes, LeBron matched that output twice over in the very same time on the floor. Well, Houston’s chapter came to an end, and Eason’s mother switched lanes as she lent her support to the Los Angeles Lakers moving forward. Interestingly enough, she’s been a LeBron James fan since 2006. Therefore, it feels like she’s going back to her roots!

The most intriguing part is that James’ 2026 playoff production is sitting close to his 2006-era. LeBron James in 2005-06 looked like a one-man system, pouring in 31.4 PPG with 7.0 RPG and 6.6 APG on 48.0% FG, 33.5% 3P, 73.8% FT, and 56.8% TS%. Then the 2005-06 playoffs followed with 30.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 5.8 APG, 47.6% FG, 33.3% 3P, 73.7% FT, and 55.7% TS across 13 games. Now in the 2026 playoffs, the numbers shift, but the heartbeat feels familiar: 23.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 8.3 APG, 43.2% FG, 30.0% 3P, 73.9% FT, 53.0% TS through 6 games.

However, the story hides in the gaps. Scoring drops by 8.2 points, about 26.1% lower, yet playmaking rises by 1.7 assists, nearly 25.8% higher. Rebounding barely moves, up 2.9%, while TS% dips by 3.8%. Therefore, the role echoes 2006. LeBron James still steers everything, blending scoring and control, shaping the game possession by possession. He now orchestrates JJ Redick ’s plans on the court.

Most importantly, many doubted that if the Lakers lost Game 6 and eventually the series, the Akron Hammer’s NBA legacy would come under scrutiny. After Friday’s game, it’s safe to say, nothing of that sort is going to happen.

LeBron James’ 28-point night saved the day for LA

Before Friday’s big night, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith dropped a warning. He said on his YouTube channel, “If you think for one second that that’s not going to be held against his legacy, surrendering a 3-0 lead, y’all got your head in the sand.” Put simply, LeBron’s legacy was at risk, according to many experts in the game. But LA pulled off a 78-98 victory at Toyota Center. And James played the biggest role in it.

After the game, head coach JJ Redick said, “For us to be written off a few weeks ago and to win a playoff series is a big deal. And it’s just speaks to the character of our team and the leaders of our team. They didn’t let go of the rope.” Even with the noise turned up by Smith, LeBron James answered in style. At 41, he powered the Lakers with 28 points, owning every stretch that mattered.

Meanwhile, JJ Redick revealed the mood inside the locker room, where teammates couldn’t stop calling James the “GOAT,” after the win against the Houston Rockets . It was a nod to a night that felt both routine and unreal at once. “Literally every single guy was going, ‘baahhhh, baahhhh,'” Redick said, per ESPN. “I mean, it speaks to his greatness. To me, he’s had the greatest career of any NBA player.”

So, pressure peaked, and LeBron James shut the door with authority . The Lakers moved on, the noise faded, and the legacy talk lost its bite. Meanwhile, emotion spilled over on the other side. Tari Eason’s mother wore the heartbreak openly before circling back to where her fandom began.

The post “I Will Be Rooting for LeBron Now”: Rockets Star’s Mother Switches Sides After Team’s Loss to Lakers appeared first on EssentiallySports . Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.