LeBron James left the Lakers’ loss to the Celtics on Saturday night with a groin injury, and he could be set for an extended stretch on the sidelines.
James exited the game with 6:44 remaining and did not return, and ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported afterwards that ‘the initial thought’ is the four-time MVP will be sidelined for weeks, rather than days.
The report cited an anonymous source as providing that prediction, though McMenamin hedged that it was ‘too early to project an accurate timetable’ for James.
‘Look at it each day to see if it gets better and take the proper measurements,’ James said after the game.
Lakers fans will be sweating over the star’s health after the team’s eight-game winning streak was snapped by Boston.
It’s believed the injury occurred in the fourth quarter as he drove to the hoop on Jaylen Brown, pump faked and span around for a basket.
LeBron James could be set for an extended stretch on the sidelines with a groin issue
James left the game vs. the Celtics with 6:44 remaining in the fourth quarter and didn’t return
James then gingerly jogged back on defense and played one more possession before being taken out of the game during a subsequent timeout.
James previously missed 17 straight contests after a groin tear on Christmas Day in 2018.
However, he said after his team’s 111-101 loss to Boston that he believed this injury was less severe than that one.
James, 40, had been playing his best basketball of the season of late alongside new teammate Luka Doncic, as the pair had helped LA ascend to the No. 2 seed in the West before their loss on Saturday (they are now No. 3).
James rolled back the years in February as he averaged 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists per contest for his team.
Doncic also appeared to be struggling with some sort of back injury on Saturday, and he could be seen holding the area in the fourth quarter around the time James left the game.
However, Doncic was able to gut out the rest of the game and finished with 34 points and eight rebounds for the Lakers.
