Is LeBron James playing tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves? Latest on 4x Finals MVP status (April 7)
As the Los Angeles Lakers face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, LeBron James' is ruled out from the game. James has recently been dealing with the left ankle peroneal tendinopathy. However, he has been playing through the injury in recent games.
This will be the final matchup between these two teams from the Western Conference. The Lakers and the Timberwolves have faced each other three times this season. The Timberwolves won the first two games in December. The Lakers won the third matchup on March 10.
LeBron James has only missed 10 games this season for the Lakers. He has played 68 of the 78 games Los Angeles has played this season. This is the highest number of games the 'King' has played as a Laker in a regular season.
The Lakers currently hold the highest winning streak in the NBA, tied with the Boston Celtics. They won all their last four games, the most recent coming against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Lakers are 8th in the West with a 45-33 record, just 1.5 games behind the sixth-seed Phoenix Suns.
What happened to LeBron James?
The last time LeBron James exited the game was on March 6, against the Sacramento Kings in the fourth quarter. He has been dealing with the ankle issue for a while now but has managed to play through the minor injury.
James didn't play against the Milwaukee Bucks when he was ruled out with the same injury. He has been careful with the injury and has previously said he would not prioritize his team's seeding over his injury.
The Lakers star knows how crucial his availability is in the postseason. He wants to avoid any major injury before crucial games when they might have to fight in the play-in tournament for the playoff spot.
Despite the injury concerns, there has been no lack of output from the four-time NBA champion. He recently dropped 40 points against the Brooklyn Nets last month.
The Lakers star is averaging 25.4 points on 53.6% shooting from the field and a career-high 41.3% from the three-point line. He is also averaging 7.2 rebounds and 8.2 assists per contest.
How to watch LA Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves?
The game between the Lakers and the Timberwolves is scheduled at 10:00 p.m. ET on Sunday at the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles and broadcast on NBA TV. Home fans can watch the game coverage on Spectrum SportsNet. The fans outside the LA can watch the game on Bally Sports North.
Fans can also stream the live on NBA League Pass and FuboTV. They can access the game by purchasing available subscription options.