Getty Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James
The outlook for Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James following a groin injury on Christmas isn’t nearly as bad as it could have been. While he walked gingerly off the floor shortly after it occurred, the concern level was understandably high. In the end, it proved to be a left groin strain and is expected to cost James a few games.
As Chris B. Haynes of Yahoo Sports revealed Wednesday, LeBron will miss “at minimum, a few games.” Lakers coach Luke Walton also didn’t sound interested in rushing back the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player either.
“Obviously, we want him back soon as possible,” coach Luke Walton said, “but we also will be very cautious when we bring him back.”
The positive news on James’ MRI came with a positive update, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, who also revealed the forward is day-to-day. But even still, groin injuries can be tricky.
With all things being taken into account and after evaluating the Lakers’ schedule, expecting James to sit out at least the remainder of this week would make sense. The team plays three games in four days from Thursday to Sunday, two against the Sacramento Kings (one on the road) and then against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Assuming James does miss just those three games, as the Lakers get two days off after that, how do you think their record will look without him?
Update: ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that James’ timeline may be tougher to gauge than originally expected.
A timeline for James’ return is further complicated by the fact that he has never had to navigate this severe of a groin injury and still needs to gain an understanding of how his body will respond to treatment. James has displayed a tremendous capacity throughout his career to avoid extended absences with injury, but sources expected the Lakers and James will be careful not to risk further aggravation of the groin by returning too quickly.
Lakers’ Performance in Win Over Warriors
When James went down in the third quarter on Christmas against the Golden State Warriors, the rest of the Lakers stepped up in a big way. When the third quarter wrapped up, it was just a nine-point lead for Los Angeles. But thanks to a superb fourth quarter from the rest of the group, the Lakers rolled to a dominant 127-101 win.
Stephen Curry and the Warriors were outscored 36-19 in the fourth quarter, led by a well-rounded effort from the Lakers. Rajon Rondo scored 16 points with 10 assists while Josh Hart and Lance Stephenson tacked on 12 and 11 points off the bench, respectively.
As for the starters, Kyle Kuzma scored 19 points and center Ivica Zubac had yet another strong game, finishing with 18 points and 11 rebounds on 9-10 shooting from the field. The Lakers rallied around the absence of James and left plenty of reason for optimism when it comes to the outlook over the next few games.
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