Getty LeBron James
LeBron James’ groin injury is more serious than most originally thought. The Lakers’ star injured himself during a Christmas Day blowout win over the Golden State Warriors on the road.
LeBron Will Reportedly Miss Several Games
At one point, it was believed there was a chance James wouldn’t miss any games, but the prognosis changed on Thursday.
While the MRI didn’t reveal a tear, James is said to have suffered “a severe left groin strain.” While no surgery is needed to repair, and James is listed as day-to-day, there is a “healing process” that must take place, which equates to rest for the future Hall-of-Famer.
At this point, it is difficult to gauge when James will return because this is reportedly the worse groin strain he has ever had in his career.
The Lakers and James are hoping for a speedy recovery, but it seems they will err on the side of caution. Injuries on a whole are relatively rare for James who has been a machine throughout his career. He’s played in fewer than 74 games just once in a single season, and in all 82 last season.
The injury snapped a streak of 156 consecutive games played for the 33-year-old, four-time league MVP and three-time NBA Finals MVP.
Specifics on Groin Injuries
According to the Summit Medical Group, “recovery time also depends on the severity of the injury. A mild groin strain may recover within a few weeks, whereas a severe injury may take 6 weeks or longer to recover. You need to stop doing the activities that cause pain until the groin has healed.”
In LeBron’s Absence
The Christmas Day game against the Warriors was well in hand when James exited in the fourth quarter, so his teammates closed the show on that night.
However, with Josh Hart moving into the starting lineup in place of James, the Lakers dropped a close one on Thursday night on the road against the Sacramento Kings. Despite holding an 11-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Lakers fell 117-116 after being outscored 33-21 in the final frame.
It’s not hard to imagine how James’ presence might have changed the outcome of that game. Hart finished with 10 points, four rebounds and two three-pointers in 33 minutes of action.
Kyle Kuzma, who has been phenomenal all year, stepped up in a major way with 33 points and nine rebounds. Brandon Ingram had 22 points and nine boards and Lonzo Ball had one of his best games of the season with a near triple-double. He had 20 points, nine rebounds, and 12 assists.
As good as those three were, the Lakers needed a closer, and they didn’t have one available.
Upcoming Games
Over the next three games, things won’t get much easier for the Lakers, though they will have the luxury of beginning a four-game homestand.
The Lakers will “host” the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night in a battle of L.A.; Then the Kings come in on Sunday before a two-day rest for the Lakers. On Wednesday, Russell Westbrook, Paul George and the Oklahoma City Thunder invade Staples Center.
If James misses all three of those games, it will be interesting to see how the young Lakers respond–especially if veteran point guard Rajon Rondo hasn’t returned to offer some stability and leadership down the stretch.