Just as the Los Angeles Lakers were beginning to look like a team prepared to go on a run, the injury bug bit.
LeBron James suffered a tendon injury in his right foot Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks and will be reevaluated in three weeks, according to the organization.
LeBron James (6) of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during a game against the Golden State Warriors Feb. 23, 2023, at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
James was injured against the Mavs in the third quarter of the Lakers’ comeback victory Sunday, saying he heard a “pop” after tumbling to the floor on a drive.
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He limped out of the arena after finishing the game in the 27-point comeback win over the Mavericks.
“It’s been better,” James said after the game. “But I definitely wasn’t going to the locker room and not finish the game. The importance of this game and then the momentum that we had, I felt like we could steal one after being down.”
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LeBron James (6) of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball as Luka Doncic (77) of the Dallas Mavericks defends in the second half at American Airlines Center Feb. 26, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. The Lakers won 111-108. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
The Lakers are 30-33, one game out of the 10th spot in the Western Conference, which would get LA into the NBA’s play-in tournament.
Coming out of the All-Star break, the Lakers looked ready to make a playoff push, making major improvements to their roster at the NBA’s trade deadline.
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Los Angeles shipped Russell Westbrook out of town while adding Jarred Vanderbilt, DeAngelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Mo Bamba.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum Feb. 28, 2023, in Memphis. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)
James called the 23 games after the All-Star break some of the biggest of his career.
“It’s 23 of the most important games of my career, for the regular season,” James said, according to CBS Sports. “That’s the type of mindset that I have and I hope the guys will have coming off the break. … I’m going to figure out ways to make sure I’m available and on the floor for every single one of these 23 games.”
The announcement from the Lakers means James will be reevaluated somewhere around LA’s game against the Phoenix Suns March 22, with just nine games remaining on the regular-season schedule.
