After days of medical evaluation and nail-biting anticipation, the Lakers have learned they’ll likely spend the next three weeks scrapping to survive a crowded playoff race without LeBron James.
When James returns – and if he returns – might hinge on how well the Lakers (30-33) can play without him during a defining stretch of the regular season.
On Thursday morning, the team officially acknowledged that James has a tendon injury in his right foot, which was exacerbated when he landed awkwardly in a win Sunday over the Dallas Mavericks. James watched the Lakers’ next game from the sideline in Memphis while wearing a walking boot up to his knee, then flew back to L.A. early for further evaluation.
The meager success the Lakers have carved out this year can be attributed, in large part, to James, who has led the Lakers in scoring (29.5 ppg) and play-making (6.9 apg) at 38 years old. But the excitement of surrounding James and fellow superstar Anthony Davis with younger, more well-fitting role players at the trade deadline has quickly diminished to grim determination to keep the team competitive enough for James to come back in time for a potential playoff run.
The team is 5-2 since changing over five players at the deadline, but with 10 games scheduled before James’ next reevaluation, the road figures to be as difficult as ever without the Lakers’ franchise leader. Davis, who missed 20 consecutive games earlier this season with a right foot stress reaction, said he wants James to be “completely right and healthy” before getting back on the court – but acknowledged the Lakers will have to be competitive enough to give him a situation worth returning for.
“It’s on us, other guys in the locker room to step up and continue to win basketball games,” Davis said, “and let him take care of what he needs to take care of until he’s back and able to start rolling again.”
James posted a video of himself standing in a pool with trainer Mike…
Read the full article here
