LeBron James aggravates groin injury during Lakers final regular season home game

LeBron James aggravated his groin injury during Friday's final regular-season home contest for the Lakers against the Rockets. Playing against a shorthanded Houston team, James dealt with the blow in the third quarter as he took off on a defensive possession to chase a loose ball. He grimaced in pain the moment he turned and limped around before exiting the floor.

James wrapped his left leg with an ice pack on the sidelines and didn't re-enter the game. He had 14 points, four rebounds and eight assists on 6-of-11 shots in 22 minutes.

LeBron James remained on the sidelines as the Lakers blew out the Rockets 140-109 and locked the third seed. James was mobile enough on the sidelines and even danced around with Austin Reaves after the Lakers marched to their 50th win of the season, suggesting that his groin injury didn't bother him as much after he exited the game.

With LA now cemented as the third seed, it will offer LeBron James a chance to rest and sit out the regular season finale in Portland on Sunday, giving him one full week to recover before the first round of the playoffs begins. James couldn't have asked for a better situation after he avoided taking any further breaks following his return from the groin injury.

If Friday was indeed his last game of his 22nd regular season, James will finish the year averaging 24.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 8.2 assists on 51.2% shooting, including 37.8% from 3 and 78.2% from the free throw line in 69 appearances.