The Los Angeles Lakers’ fans were disappointed to hear that their star player, LeBron James, will be out for more than three weeks due to his foot injury. Initially, it was believed that he would only be absent for that period, but a new report from NBA insider Brian Windhorst contradicts this assumption.
During the Hoop Collective Podcast, Windhorst gave a concerning update on James’ recovery process, stating that the athlete is not close to returning. Windhorst raised concerns about the state of James’ injury. While the Lakers have announced an official re-evaluation after three weeks, this doesn’t necessarily mean James will return to the court.
“LeBron [James] is not close to returning from what I’m told… I know that LeBron has played through injuries in the past,” Windhorst said. “I’m not 100% sure if this is an injury you can play through.”
Windhorst also acknowledged that James has played through injuries in the past, but he’s still determining whether this particular injury is one that James can play through. This news comes as a blow to the Lakers, who were hoping to have their star player back as soon as possible.
The Lakers are currently in the 9th seed in the Western Conference with a 34-37 record. Although they have a chance to make it to the playoffs, they’ll have to do it without James, who has been a crucial player for the team.
Can the Lakers reach the Playoffs Without LeBron James?
Despite James’ absence, the Lakers have put together some impressive wins thanks to the efforts of other players on the team. Anthony Davis has been delivering great performances, and other players like D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura have stepped up to fill the void left by James.
After the loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, all remaining games of the season have become must-win games for Lakers’. They have some crucial matchups, including a game against the Orlando Magic at the Crypto.com Arena this coming Monday.
While the Lakers may have a chance to avoid the play-ins without James, his absence will undoubtedly impact the team’s overall performance. The Lakers will have to work hard if they want to make it to the NBA finals.
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