LeBron James had a significant injury scare against the Memphis Grizzlies during the Los Angeles Lakers 121-118 victory on Sunday night, hitting the court after Desmond Bane rolled into his leg after a play around the rim.
James rolled around on the court following the second-quarter collision as the crowd at Staples Center held its collective breath. The four-time MVP got back up and finished the game, logging 40 minutes.
James missed 26 games last season after Hawks forward Solomon Hill rolled into ran into his leg diving for a loose ball.
“The first thing I was thinking to myself was, ‘Not again,'” James told reporters after the game. “Because obviously, it was almost similar but not the same kind of play. Guy falls into my leg and there’s nothing you can do about it and I couldn’t get my leg out of there in time.
Dying at Anthony Davis’ check up on LeBron James after his ankle injury
“Just wanted to take a moment on the floor, just hopefully it wasn’t getting worse,” James said about the moments after the contact. “Had an opportunity just to tie my shoe again and see if I’m able to go, I was able to continue to go.”
James is uncertain if he’ll be able to play on Tuesday against the Spurs but will be getting “around-the-clock treatment.”
James Needed Months to Rebound in Offseason
James isn’t used to having a long offseason, but with the Lakers being bounced in the first round by the Suns, he got some extra time off. It was much needed, with James needing to rehab his ankle back into shape.
“It took a while,” James told reporters on Monday, October 18. “I didn’t do much basketball stuff for probably the first two months of the summer, which is very rare for me, because my ankle wasn’t responding how I would like it to respond.
“And the best thing about the summertime was I had time. I had time to just really get ready when my ankle was ready to go. I was always training, just wasn’t on the basketball court much. Always doing other stuff, training, pushing, seeing if I could do other stuff with my ankle, and until I got to a point where I didn’t feel any sharp pains anymore, and my flexibility was back to where it was before. That’s when I knew I could get back on the floor.”
It seems to have worked. James is averaging 26 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists through three games. He’s also shooting a scorching 48.3% from beyond the arc.
Lakers Pull Away Late Against Grizzlies
The Lakers notched their first win of the season against the Grizzlies, surviving late for the three-point win. It was a well-rounded effort from LA, with six players scoring in double-figures. That effort was led by veteran sharpshooter Carmelo Anthony, who netted 28 points and was a team-high plus-19.
With the big night, Anthony passed Moses Malone for No. 9 on the all-time scoring list.
“It’s hard to put it into words. That I’m still here and doing it, that’s what I’m excited about, that’ I’m here in year 19 and doing what I’m able to do,” Anthony said. “I’m still passionate about the game, and I’m still passionate about coming to work and getting better.”
The Lakers will look to make it two in a row against the Spurs on Tuesday.
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Lakers Star LeBron James Getting ‘Around-the-Clock’ Injury Treatment