Just when everything was going well for the LA Lakers, a disaster has struck the franchise. The team's talisman, LeBron James, has picked up a groin injury during Saturday's game against the Celtics. The NBA will remain sidelined for a certain period and in his absence the onus will fall onto Luka Doncic.
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LeBron James Injury Update
It was eventually feared that the injury would take at least a month of his, but as per an update provided by ESPN's Shams Charania, King James could return to action sooner than that. Charania revealed the timeline of James' recovery and stated that the 40-year-old could recover within 1-2 weeks.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is expected to miss at least 1-to-2 weeks with a groin strain, sources tell ESPN. James will wait for the groin injury to calm down over the next 24 hours and receive another evaluation. pic.twitter.com/17mWxsaXN3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 9, 2025
At 40-22 and third in the West, L.A. is a near-postseason lock with only a few weeks remaining, so fans aren’t clamoring for James to return sooner than needed.
“Rest up for the playoffs,” one fan insisted to James on X.
“After Lebron James’ injury it’s time to see what Luka Doncic is made of…” another provided a different outlook on the injury.
“Only 1-2 weeks… lets gooooooo,” a third added, seemingly expecting a much direr report.
Given LeBron's age, any injury that doesn't sideline him for an extended period is a silver lining. Although he's shown remarkable resilience throughout his career, one severe injury could now accelerate his retirement plans.
The LA Lakers were struggling with inconsistency a month or two ago but following the inclusion of Luka Doncic into the side, the team gained much-needed solidarity and a dominant dup, which carries the prowess of taking the team to victory from any clutch situation. Ahead of the loss against the Celtics, who are a force to reckon with at the moment, the Lakers had won 8 in a row, and as the streak has ended, the Lakers will have to rest their expectations on the shoulders of Luka Doncic now.