Skip Bayless takes shot at LeBron James, comparing him to Michael Jordan: “LeBron is not gonna play because of ankle injury”
LeBron James and the LA Lakers have continued to fight for their spot in the Western Conference standings in Anthony Davis' absence owing to an injury.
So far, the team has risen to the occasion. They closed out 2022 with a big win, before then continuing to build momentum in the new year. Going into Monday's showdown in Denver, the team was on a five-game win streak that Dennis Schroder erupt on offense.
Unfortunately, the franchise was without LeBron James, who missed the game with ankle soreness after being previously listed as probable over the weekend. Without James on the court, the Lakers struggled before ultimately losing the game 122-109, bringing an end to their big win streak.
During Tuesday's episode of Undisputed with Skip & Shannon, the duo spoke about the situation, with Bayless unsurprisingly taking a strong stance against James.
"I'm excited about this ... and all of a sudden I look down and LeBron is not going to play because of an ankle injury? Ankle soreness? Well he finished the Kings game just fine. I don't remember him turning the ankle in the game, maybe I missed the play, but i just don't remember it.
"I don't even know if they practice because these teams today's they don't even practice anymore but did he turn it in practice? He could have. For all I know, he's playing one-on-one with Bronny in the backyard and turned it.
"A thousand things could have happened, but it was shocking to me and completely deflating and disappointing that he wasn't going to play."
You can see Bayless' comments in the video below beginning around the 1:40 mark.
LA Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets without LeBron James
With LeBron James out of the game, the Lakers were forced to rely on several key roleplayers. In the starting lineup, Dennis Schroder had a rough game, scoring just 14 points on 3-13 shooting from the floor. While he knocked down all eight free throws, he went 0-5 from beyond the arc.
Thomas Bryant, who put up a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards, also seemed to struggle from the field, going just 6-14. over 27 minutes played. Off the bench, it was Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Nunn who led the team, with the former MVP on triple-double watch with 27 points, seven boards, and seven assists.
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So far, there has been no word as to whether or not LeBron James will be back in action for the team's game against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday the 12th. Considering he's chasing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record, it will be interesting to see whether James pushes himself to play, or if he plays it safe.
Below you can see highlights from the Lakers' loss to the Denver Nuggets.
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