LeBron James is not going to be in motion on Friday night time for the Los Angeles Lakers’ matchup in opposition to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, the workforce introduced. James is coping with a sore ankle that compelled him to depart the Lakers’ loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night time early.
After enjoying 36 whole minutes in opposition to the Kings, the 21-year veteran exited the ground with round 4 minutes left on the clock. Although there was no obvious harm on the ground, James was visibly grimacing in ache.
“I will be all proper,” James said after the sport, “It is simply my ankle. It is simply what I have been coping with earlier than the [All-Star] break, after the break. I am simply managing it one of the best ways I can.
“I performed the entire third, sat just a little bit to start out the fourth, and after I bought again in, it sort of simply — no matter. It is simply one thing I have been coping with.”
As of Friday, it doesn’t seem that James is dealing with any kind of long-term absence. ESPN reported that his latest ankle ache is the results of “put on and tear.”
James has been remarkably sturdy this season all issues thought-about. Friday night time in opposition to the Bucks will likely be simply the ninth recreation he is missed, which is a reversal of a pattern we have seen lately. James has already performed extra video games than he did final season, and is on tempo to succeed in the 60-game mark for simply the second time since he joined the Lakers again in 2018.
Wednesday’s loss made James’ well being considerably extra necessary. Not solely did the Lakers fall to 34-30, however they’ve formally misplaced the season tiebreaker with the Kings and are again in tenth place within the Western Convention. Getting into Friday, they’re now 3.5 video games behind the sixth-place Phoenix Suns for the ultimate automated playoff spot.
Whereas the Lakers entered the All-Star break on a sizzling streak, they’re 4-4 since play resumed and are coming into a particularly troublesome stretch of their schedule. After enjoying the Bucks, their subsequent opponents are the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kings and Golden State Warriors. If James stays sidelined and even compromised, the Lakers will definitely be in hassle for these video games.
