LeBron James had to leave the Los Angeles Lakers’ 111-101 defeat to the Boston Celtics with a strained left groin. Reports suggest that the 40-year-old may be out for “weeks,” as per an article on ESPN.
Despite the injury, James seemed relatively unconcerned. He did not give a specific timeline for his return as the Lakers aim to keep up their recent strong performance.
“Not much concern,” James stated. “Obviously, I’m day-to-day. I’ll assess it daily and take the necessary steps to determine my next moves.”
James had to exit the game with 6:44 left after contesting a layup by Jaylen Brown. He walked cautiously to the huddle during a timeout and then limped to the locker room with team trainers. Despite his efforts, the Lakers’ eight-game winning streak came to an end.
This is not the first time James has dealt with a groin injury. His most notable groin injury occurred in 2018, where he missed 17 consecutive games due to a tear in his left groin on Christmas Day. James mentioned that he believes his current injury is not as severe as that one.
“I’ve experienced this before and know the nature of the injury we’re dealing with,” James added.
In his 22nd season, James continues to show little signs of slowing down, averaging 25 points, 8.5 assists, and 8.2 rebounds per game. He recently became the first NBA player to reach 50,000 career points, including postseason play.
With James sidelined, the Lakers managed to reduce a 20-point deficit to single digits in the fourth quarter. However, Jayson Tatum and Brown sealed the win for Boston with their late-game scoring.
Luka Doncic recorded 34 points and eight rebounds in his first game in Boston since the NBA Finals where the Mavericks lost to the Celtics.
After the loss, the Lakers (40-22) dropped to third place in the Western Conference standings and face a challenging schedule ahead.
The Lakers are set to play eight games in the next two weeks, with five matchups against playoff-contending teams. This includes games against the Denver Nuggets, who are slightly ahead of the Lakers in the standings.
“We have to stay true to our game, regardless of who’s available to play,” James emphasized. “We’ve dealt with injuries throughout the season, and nothing changes now.”
The Lakers will face the Brooklyn Nets next, and it is likely James will be absent from that game.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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