LeBron James isn’t too concerned about a groin injury that could keep him out for “weeks,” according to ESPN, following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 111-101 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday. The 40-year-old basketball icon left the game with a strained left groin, raising questions about his availability as the Lakers aim to maintain their momentum in the standings.
Despite the injury, James expressed a sense of calmness regarding his recovery. He refrained from providing a specific timeline for his return, focusing instead on day-to-day evaluations as the Lakers strive to continue their upward trajectory.
“Not much concern,” James stated. “Obviously, I’m day-to-day. I’ll assess it each day and see if it improves, taking the necessary steps to move forward.”
His exit from the game occurred during a timeout with 6:44 remaining, after he contested a layup by Jaylen Brown. Walking gingerly to the huddle, he soon departed for the locker room with trainers. Despite the injury, James managed to contribute 22 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, though the Lakers’ eight-game winning streak came to an end.
This incident marks another chapter in James’s history with groin injuries. He previously missed 17 consecutive games due to a left groin tear on Christmas Day in 2018. However, he believes this latest injury is not as severe.
“I’ve experienced this before and I know what type of injury we’re dealing with,” James remarked.
In his 22nd NBA season, James continues to defy age, averaging 25 points, 8.5 assists, and 8.2 rebounds per game. Recently, he made history as the first NBA player to reach 50,000 career points, including postseason totals.
While James was sidelined, the Lakers managed to cut a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit to single digits. However, Jayson Tatum and Brown sealed the victory for Boston by scoring the final 12 points.
In a notable performance, Luka Doncic scored 34 points and grabbed eight rebounds during his first game in Boston since the Dallas Mavericks lost Game 5 of the NBA Finals, which allowed Boston to clinch its 18th championship.
Following Saturday’s defeat, the Lakers (40-22) slipped to third place in the Western Conference standings and face a challenging schedule ahead.
Los Angeles will play eight games over the next two weeks, with five of those contests against teams currently in playoff contention. This includes a critical home-and-home series against the Denver Nuggets, who are a half-game ahead of the Lakers in the standings.
“It doesn’t matter who’s in the lineup; we have to play our game,” James emphasized. “We’ve had players coming in and out of the lineup all year. Nothing changes.”
The Lakers are set to visit Brooklyn on Monday, and it appears likely that James will not be on the court that night.
