Lebron James is being held out of the Los Angeles Lakers’ final six games of the season to give him time to recover from his strained groin, the team announced today.
“After consulting with our team doctors and medical staff, we have decided to hold LeBron out of games for the remainder of the season,” Lakers president Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement. “This decision will allow his groin to fully heal, and is best for the future success of both LeBron and the Lakers.”
The Lakers have failed to qualify for the playoffs for the sixth straight season, ending Lebron’s personal streak of 13 straight playoff appearances, 8 of which ended in the NBA finals.
According to ESPN, James initially hurt his groin in a game against the Golden State Warriors. It was a slight tear in his left groin, and he originally told the team medical personnel he “heard a pop.” He was listed as day to day and tweeted that he “dodged a bullet” after a preliminary MRI.
James played in 21 of the teams 25 games since initially returning from his groin injury, sources close to him told ESPN that James was masking a lot of the discomfort that the injury was still causing him.
A physical therapist that has worked with James, Dr. Karen Joubert shared on Instagram last week that the injury could’ve been so much worse as it could’ve sidelined him for at least six months.
James is determined to make a full recovery. He was rehabbing four to five hours a day and even took naps in oxygen chambers to help expedite the recovery process.
The Lakers management, however, feels he should sit out the rest of the season. James will accompany the team on its final road trip of the season through New Orleans and Oklahoma City.
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LBJ should have stayed in Cleveland.