LeBron James Injury Update: 40-year-old Lakers star admits cautious approach to nagging ankle issue for the rest of the season
LeBron James made waves on Sunday when he decided to sit out the All-Star Game due to foot and ankle pain that he had been dealing with heading into the All-Star break. However, what most fans thought was a minor injury with a short recovery time has become something that the LA Lakers forward will have to monitor for the rest of the season.
Lower body injuries aren't uncommon among NBA players, especially as they get older, but LeBron James requires more caution than most others due to his age. At 40 years old, LeBron is the oldest player in the NBA, and he has dealt with ankle injuries over the last few years. Nagging injuries like this one often push players toward taking more time to recover.
As we enter the back end of the regular season, James has spoken about what he needs to do to ensure that he is ready and able to help the LA Lakers make a deep run in the playoffs. He told reporters on Wednesday:
“I have to look out for myself when it comes to the injuries," James said when talking about his and the Lakers' precautions. "With 30 games left and us trying to make a playoff push in the wild, wild West, I felt like it was very important for me to kind of take care of myself and understand what's coming on [down the stretch]."
After ESPN's Shams Charania said that the ankle injury would hold LeBron James out of the Lakers' first two games after the All-Star Break, James suited up against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. James played 38 minutes in the game and led the Lakers in scoring, despite losing 100-97 after missing two last-second three-point attempts that would have tied the game.
How will LeBron James' injuries affect his adjustment to playing with Luka Doncic?
The LA Lakers shocked the world at the trade deadline after shipping out Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic. Doncic, one of the brightest young stars in the NBA, has struggled to adjust to playing alongside James and his Lakers teammates so far, averaging only 14.7 points per game in his three appearances in a Lakers uniform.
If LeBron James needs to exercise load management as the postseason draws closer, the Lakers could be in trouble due to their lack of chemistry when the playoffs arrive.
At 32-21 and with fewer than 30 games remaining, the Lakers are in a tight race with the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves to escape the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.