A left groin injury sustained by LeBron James during the fourth quarter of tonight’s game against the Boston Celtics could potentially sideline the Los Angeles Lakers star for “a matter of weeks,” according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. However, McMenamin’s sources emphasize that it’s premature to establish a definitive timeline for James’ return. Extensive testing will be conducted to assess the extent of the injury before a final prognosis is determined.
Los Angeles Lakers Provide Open-Ended Return Timeline For LeBron James
Following the game, James appeared to downplay the severity of the injury, expressing “not much concern” about it, as reported by Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. He stated his intention to “look at it each day to see if it gets better,” and to “take the proper measurements [and] see what we need to do going forward.” James also acknowledged that the pain reminded him of the significant groin injury he suffered on Christmas Day 2018, which forced him to miss considerable playing time, as noted by McMenamin. However, he expressed confidence that this injury was less severe, and he even knocked on wood to avoid tempting fate.
The injury occurred during a post-move against Jaylen Brown with 7:05 remaining in the game, as reported by Brian Robb of MassLive. James subsequently ran down the court gingerly and requested a substitution after the Celtics scored. He received treatment from the training staff during the ensuing timeout before heading to the locker room. Prior to his departure, James had contributed 22 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, leading a Lakers comeback effort.
James has maintained remarkable productivity and durability, especially considering his recent 40th birthday in December. He had appeared in 58 of the Lakers’ 62 games, averaging 25.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.5 assists. Assuming he meets the 65-game threshold, he appears to be a strong candidate for All-NBA honors.
A prolonged absence for James could have significant repercussions for the Lakers, who have been focused on developing his on-court chemistry with Luka Doncic in recent weeks. The Lakers’ loss to the Celtics dropped them to third place in the Western Conference, and they could potentially fall further if they are forced to compete without James for an extended period.