Just as the Los Angeles Lakers finally seemed to be gaining some momentum, their recent hot streak hit a snag on Wednesday as they were defeated 130-120 by the Sacramento Kings. To make matters worse, LeBron James did not finish the game. After playing 36 total minutes, the 21-year veteran exited the floor with around four minutes left on the clock. Though there was no apparent injury on the floor, James was grimacing in pain.
Fortunately, it doesn’t seem as though James is dealing with anything too severe. “I’ll be alright,” James said after the game. He added that it was his ankle that was bothering him, which isn’t a surprise. James has been dealing with ankle injuries all season and has frequently been listed on injury reports because of them.
James has been remarkably durable this season all things considered. He’s missed just eight games and consistently missing time throughout his Lakers tenure. Wednesday’s loss made James’ health significantly more important. Not only did the Lakers fall to 34-30, but they are now two losses behind all nine teams ahead of them in the Western Conference and have officially lost the season series tiebreaker against the Kings.
The Lakers entered the Kings game having won 10 of their last 14, but they are currently working through the hardest stretch on their schedule. Their next four opponents are postseason teams: the Bucks, Timberwolves, Kings and Warriors. If James is at all compromised, the Lakers will be significant underdogs in all four of those matchups. Fortunately, he seems optimistic about his status moving forward.
