As the Los Angeles Lakers continue to build momentum after acquiring All-Star Luka Dončić, they’ve been hit with some bad news. Superstar LeBron James will be sidelined for one to two weeks with a minor groin injury sustained during Saturday’s 111-101 loss to the Boston Celtics. The game took a turn after James was ruled out, and the Lakers struggled defensively against Dončić.
Luka made a statement in his Lakers debut, breaking the scoring record for a debuting Lakers player against Boston with 34 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. However, the Celtics continue to be a tough opponent for him, and James’ absence proved to be too much to overcome.
Now sitting at 40-22 with 20 regular-season games remaining, the Lakers face a critical stretch. Without James, they risk dropping to fifth or sixth place in the standings, though they hope to stay afloat and secure a top-four seed for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Their game-winning streak ended Saturday, and the focus is now on avoiding a losing streak. After today’s matchup against Brooklyn, the Lakers will face tough games against Milwaukee and Denver (twice). James will be reevaluated in a week to a week and a half, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
He is expected to miss at least four games, including both matchups against Milwaukee and Denver. The 40-year-old hopes to return soon after and help the Lakers finish the season strong.
