The Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff hopes have just suffered a major hit. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Lakers’ superstar LeBron James is dealing with a right foot injury and is expected to miss an “extended period of time.”
James is currently undergoing further tests on his right foot in order to find out the full extent of the injury. However, the Lakers are not optimistic about results and are reportedly bracing to be without their best player for several weeks.
James was injured in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 108-111 comeback win over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. He remained on the floor for the final period, finishing the game with 26 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. The 38-year-old is averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists for the season.
His injury comes at the worst possible time for the Lakers. The team is out of the playoff picture at the moment, but a recent three-win streak has put them in a position to make a push for a postseason spot. With a 29-32 record, the LA team is currently at No. 12 in the West with 21 games left to play. They are 0.5 games behind the No. 10, last Play-In spot, and only 2.5 games removed from the Mavericks, who are the sixth seed.
The Lakers will now hope that their revamped roster can do enough to weather through James’ absence. The franchise previously made a blockbuster trade ahead of the deadline that saw them move All-Star guard Russell Westbrook while acquiring guards D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt.
