While LeBron James has had a number of injuries throughout his tenure in Los Angeles, it’s hard to argue any have been as damaging in terms of timing and the injury itself than his latest. With the Lakers pushing for the playoffs and riding high after the All-Star break, LeBron’s injury threatens that momentum and their postseason chances.
Against the Mavericks, LeBron suffered an injury that he was able to play through, but it became quickly apparent that this was a more serious injury in the days that followed. Initial reports suggested it would be multiple weeks before LeBron would return.
The team eventually announced the diagnosis, which would rule LeBron out for approximately three weeks before he’d even be re-evaluated. It was a serious blow to the Lakers as they had started to really show signs of life with a number of strong performances and victories to move up the standings.
Perhaps the small silver lining is that it’s an injury that, at least reportedly, LeBron could play through depending on how painful it is and what his pain tolerance level is. It’s going to be a situation with lots of moving parts moving forward.
If the Lakers keep winning, does that afford them more time to allow LeBron to heal? If the team is struggling around .500, is there more pressure on him to get back on the court and help them making the play-in game and/or playoffs? If the Lakers fall off the pace, will bron even return this season or is his year done?
This stream will include the latest news and reports about LeBron’s injury, his rehab process and the timeline of his return as all of that continually changes.
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