LeBron James expected to miss 1-2 weeks with left groin strain
Lakers star LeBron James will likely be sidelined for at least one to two weeks after suffering a left groin strain, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Sunday.
The 40-year-old superstar will get another evaluation in a couple of days to check how his injury is healing. He had to leave Saturday’s game against the Celtics with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter.
James hurt himself during a key moment when the Lakers were mounting a comeback. They had cut Boston’s lead to just seven points after trailing by as many as 22 earlier.
The injury happened on a simple basketball move – when LeBron pivoted around Jaylen Brown to score in the lane.
After the game, LeBron tried to sound optimistic, saying there was “not much concern” and that he’d take it “day to day.” But this isn’t his first rodeo with this type of injury.
He missed 17 games back in the 2018-19 season with a similar left groin strain that happened during a Christmas Day game.
“I’ve been there before, and I know what type of injury you’re dealing with,” James admitted after Saturday’s game. “Maybe extended it a little bit too much.”
Before leaving, LeBron nearly had a triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists in 34 minutes. He shot a solid 48% from the field but struggled from distance, missing all six of his three-point attempts.
The timing couldn’t be worse for the Lakers. They’re about to face a brutal stretch of six games in just eight days, including four tough matchups against title contenders – two each against the Nuggets and Bucks.
Despite the setback, LeBron remains confident in his team.
“We can compete versus anyone in this league,” he said. “So we’ll be fine.”
He acknowledged the Lakers are still building chemistry, especially after making roster changes late in the season, while the Celtics have been playing together much longer.
“We’re not where [the Celtics] are, the defending champion. And they’ve been playing basketball together for a long time,” James explained.
The Lakers’ top priority now? Getting healthy.
“That’s the No. 1 objective for us: How we can get full and get all our guys together and see exactly what we look like,” LeBron said.
Even with this injury blow, the Lakers have been on fire lately, winning 18 of their last 22 games. They currently hold the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference, sitting just a half-game behind the second-place Nuggets.
The team continues their four-game road trip Monday when they visit the Brooklyn Nets – their first test without their leader.
