For the second night in a row, the Los Angeles Lakers will take the court. This time around, they are going to be without the star forward, LeBron James.
According to an official announcement from the Lakers, James is dealing with a left elbow contusion. Therefore, he has been ruled out for the second leg of the back-to-back.
Entering the March 5 matchup against the Denver Nuggets, James was healthy. He got the nod to start and appeared on the court for 33 minutes.
During that time, LeBron went 7-11 from the field, missing both of his threes. The superstar veteran logged 16 points, right assists, five rebounds, three steals, and one block for the Lakers.
Amid his performance, LeBron broke another NBA record. With three field goals, James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar by making the most shots in NBA history. He is now the league’s leader in baskets and points.
“Just being linked and my name being mentioned with some of the greatest to ever play this game. It’s always been humbling,” James told reporters after Thursday’s game.
“It’s a pretty cool thing. I grew up watching, reading, idolizing a lot of the greats. If I ever was able to be apart of the NBA, I wanted to put myself in a position where I could be named with some of the greats.”
More Lakers News: LeBron James Sends Blunt Message to Critics After Latest Record
Despite making history, James’ night was ultimately spoiled. The Lakers came up short against the Denver Nuggets with a 120-113 score.
The Lakers Will Look To Bounce Back Against The Pacers
GettyLeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers gestures to the ref on the ground during the fourth quarter of the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on March 5, 2026 in Denver, Colorado.
There is a favorable opponent in town on Friday night for the Lakers, but it will be a shorthanded battle for LA.
James suffered what seemed like a minor elbow injury. Still, it wasn’t small enough to keep him off the court for the second-straight game.
“It’s pretty sore right now,” LeBron told reporters. “Felt like one of them funny bone situations, but like, super more intense.”
LeBron was likely to enter Friday’s game as questionable to play no matter what. The 41-year-old told reporters earlier this season that he’s not going to play in every back-to-back.
The fact that an actual ailment is in play, the veteran forward shouldn’t take any chances.
The Lakers have played a stretch of games without James this season. Fortunately, they have a favorable winning percentage (61%) when he’s off the court, posting an 11-7 record.
Although the record is promising, the Lakers are still a winning unit when he’s available. This year, they are 26-18 with LeBron in the mix.
The legendary forward is having another All-Star year, posting averages of 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in 44 games.
The Pacers enter the game with a 15-47 record this year. They are the 15th seed in the Eastern Conference, tied for the worst record with the Brooklyn Nets. Indiana enters the game on a seven-game losing streak.
The Lakers are slated for a 10:30 PM ET tip against the Pacers on Friday.
Lakers Make LeBron James Announcement vs Pacers