Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will miss the team's next two fixtures in the Western Conference clash of the Los Angeles Derby against city rivals Clippers on Thursday and against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday so as to rest his injured right ankle.
The reigning Finals MVP returned from a 20 game absence last week only to have his injured right ankle trouble him again.
Discomfort persisted for LeBron James over the weekend when he played two games following a six-week absence due to the same injury. He exited Sunday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors and did not play in Monday night’s pivotal 93-89 victory against the Denver Nuggets.
Despite being without star player Anthony Davis, The Lakers were in second place before LeBron James suffered a high ankle sprain in a 99-94 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on March 20. The four-time MVP was out for 20 games, and the Lakers slipped down the Western Conference standings.
Injuries to James and fellow All-Star Icon Anthony Davis have stagnated the Lakers after winning the 2020 NBA championship. James has only featured for the Los Angeles side in just 43 games this season, with Davis featuring in even fewer.
The NBA reigning champions are currently placed fifth in the Western Conference but sit just one game ahead of the seventh-place Blazers and thus puts them at risk of missing out the playoffs if they slip further.
The 17 time champions have high hopes of a title repeat this season, however they appear to depend highly on 'King James' return from injury.