The Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James says there is no reason for concern even though he was forced to exit a 130-120 loss to the Sacramento Kings early and did so while limping.
James had 31 points, five rebounds, and 13 assists against the Kings before heading to the locker room with 3:56 left on the clock. At that point, the Lakers were looking at a 14-point deficit despite leading by 19 after the first quarter.
Speaking with reporters after the game, James said that he was bothered by his ankle, a recurring issue he has been dealing with for quite some time.
“I’ll be all right,” James said. “It’s just my ankle. It’s just what I’ve been dealing with before the [All-Star] break, after the break. I’m just managing it the best way I can.”
Sources close to the Lakers later told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that James’ ankle issues are simply a result of “wear and tear” from his long career. He is currently in his 21st season in the NBA and has played 1,477 regular-season games and 282 playoff games.
James has managed to stay relatively healthy this season and is currently in place to play the most games since 2019-20. He is currently averaging 25.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game.
