LeBron James suffered a groin strain during the Lakers vs. Celtics game on Saturday, forcing him to exit the much-anticipated rivalry clash. The injury occurred midway through the fourth quarter, prompting James to leave for the locker room and be ruled out for the remainder of the game. Despite his impressive performance of 22 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, the Lakers ultimately fell to the Celtics with a score of 111-101.
The injury seemed to happen as James executed pivot moves during the game. After signaling to be substituted following a defensive possession, he did not return to the court after testing his injury during a timeout. Lakers head coach JJ Redick expressed concern about James’ health, with reports suggesting that he could be sidelined for weeks rather than days.
This setback comes at a crucial time for the Lakers, who were on an eight-game winning streak prior to the game. The team had been thriving since acquiring Dončić, with James showing improved performance. A prolonged absence for James would not only impact the Lakers’ upcoming games against tough opponents like the Bucks and Nuggets but also place more responsibility on Dončić to lead the team.
Despite the potential setback, James has been relatively durable this season, missing only four games thus far. His absence would undoubtedly be felt by the Lakers, who were hoping for a successful road trip.