SAN ANTONIO — LeBron James didn’t play Monday evening in opposition to the San Antonio Spurs, with Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel saying earlier than the sport that James was experiencing “huge” ache in his left knee after his 56-point try in opposition to the Golden State Warriors.
James, 37, missed 5 matches with a knee damage from late January to early February however has not missed a single time since then.
“With the heavy burden it has been carrying for us this 12 months, we all know it is at all times a risk,” Vogel stated of James Seated earlier than the Lakers misplaced 117-110. “I feel that is why we hold itemizing him as questionable to see how he responds over the 48 hours between matches. And that is simply a kind of days the place he was essential sufficient to place him away.”
Except for James’ 39-minute workload in opposition to Golden State, the Los Angeles journey day on Sunday — when a mechanical drawback triggered the Lakers to remain on the runway for 2 hours earlier than altering planes for the almost three-hour flight to San Antonio — did not assist. On the time of restoration, ESPN sources reported.
Vogel stated the Lakers are “optimistic” that James will play Wednesday in Houston.
James’ efficiency in opposition to the Warriors was the Lakers’ highest-scoring objective and tied for third in his 19-year profession, as Los Angeles recovered from a 14-point deficit to win 124-116.
Nonetheless, that win solely raised the Lakers’ document to 28-35, placing them in ninth place within the Western Convention to enter Monday’s video games. Tottenham completed twelfth within the West, 4 video games behind the Lakers.
“His well being takes priority over any sport, any singles match, for positive,” Vogel stated of the playoff fallout for James resting.
Los Angeles can be coping with the absence of Anthony Davis, who has been out for almost three weeks with a midfoot sprain.
James has scored 29.4 factors, 8.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in 36.8 minutes per Lakers sport this season.
The Lakers began Austin Reeves, Tallinn Horton Tucker, Dwight Howard, Malik Monk and Russell Westbrook in opposition to Tottenham, representing their 32 completely different beginning lineups for the season.
“Not one participant should return the place they left off,” Vogel stated. “Although I instructed Malik he ought to rating 56 tonight since Bronn got here out, he can attempt to have that mentality. Then I shortly instructed him I used to be simply kidding. As a result of he is actually going to exit and attempt to do it. However, he is the following man, however when he is somebody Like LeBron, it needs to be performed by the committee.”
Vogel was requested what he considered James’ knee can be an element alongside the space because the Lakers battle for a championship spot through the last video games of the common season.
“I feel the only strategy to say it’s that he plans to be there until his knee tells him in any other case,” Vogel stated. “I do not know if we might have anticipated something extra express than that.”
