The Los Angeles Lakers had a winless two-game road trip, suffering losses to the Houston Rockets and the shorthanded Dallas Mavericks. To stop the bleeding and avoid slipping further in the standings, clinching a victory against the San Antonio Spurs is crucial for JJ Redick’s squad. However, LeBron James featuring in the injury report might prompt Lakers Nation to question the team’s chances of success tonight.
The Purple & Gold have added six players to their injury report ahead of the clash against Victor Wembanyama and Co. While four players are either “Out” or “Questionable”, James has been added to the list as “Probable” for the game at Crypto.com Arena.
Lakers fans need not worry. LeBron James missed two games earlier in December—against the Portland Trail Blazers and the Minnesota Timberwolves—due to a left foot injury. Since then, the King has consistently appeared on the injury report under “left foot injury management,” but he has played in every game.
Barring any significant setbacks, James’ inclusion in tonight’s injury report appears to be purely precautionary.
In fact, the 6ft 9″ forward has stepped up his performance beyond his season averages. Over the past 10 games, James has been delivering stellar numbers, averaging 25.8 points, 8.2 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per game.
The four-time NBA MVP will, however, need to maintain this level of performance to counter Wembanyama’s impact. The Frenchman has a history of stuffing the stat sheet against the Lakers, averaging 23.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 3.6 blocks in the five matchups he has had against the team.
With neither team expected to miss out on their star players, tonight’s Spurs-Lakers contest promises to be an action-packed thriller.