LeBron James left the Los Angeles Lakers' defeat to the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter with what was later diagnosed as a high ankle sprain, which is now set to sideline him alongside Anthony Davis.
Sunday 21 March 2021 07:27, UK
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is reportedly 'out indefinitely' after suffering a high right ankle sprain during Saturday night's loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Recovery rates vary, but high ankle sprains typically take anywhere from six weeks to three months to mend. The Lakers' final regular season game is in roughly two months, on May 16.
James lands on the injured list alongside fellow star Anthony Davis, who is out at least several more weeks with the Achilles strain that has sidelined him since February 16.
James, 36, had missed just one game this season, when a left ankle sprain kept him out against the Sacramento Kings in the final game before the All-Star break. He hasn't missed significant time since a hamstring injury cost him 17 straight games midway through the 2018-19 season.
Per ESPN Stats & Info, it will mark only the fifth time in James' 18-year career that he's missed at least five consecutive games.
James left early in the second quarter against Atlanta and never returned. The Lakers didn't say whether James will have X-rays or an MRI, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the X-rays came back negative.
The 17-time All-Star sustained the issue when he rolled his right ankle before making awkward contact with Solomon Hill on the perimeter, prompting James to fall to the court screaming in visible pain.
He initially returned to his feet in an attempt to shrug it off during a timeout and even managed to drain a three-pointer on the ensuing possession.
But moments later he called another timeout and headed to the locker room with the Lakers' training staff, hitting a chair in frustration as he left the court.
In his 18th season James is averaging 25.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the defending champion Lakers, who sit second in the overall NBA standings despite Davis' lengthy absence.
James' inspired play is the biggest reason for Los Angeles' continued success, with his teammates and observers around the league touting him for his fifth NBA MVP award. He was playing the final game of a spectacular individual week during the Lakers' four-game winning streak, with back-to-back triple-doubles before a 37-point performance against Charlotte on Thursday.
James' three-pointer gave him 11 points against the Hawks, extending to 1,036 his NBA-record streak of consecutive games with at least 10 points. The streak is by far the longest in NBA history, with Michael Jordan second at 866.
In addition to his incredible talent, James has been remarkably durable over his NBA career. He had never missed more than a handful of games in any season before his first year with the Lakers, when a groin injury sidelined him for 17 consecutive games.
James had missed only one game this season, sitting out the Lakers' final game before he had to travel to Atlanta for the All-Star break.
