The LA Lakers' chances of making the playoffs look slim after LeBron James' most recent injury. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the four-time MVP will miss an extended period of time as he's currently dealing with a foot injury.
When he will return to the court isn't clear, with James expected to be sidelined for an indefinite amount of time. LeBron even posted a video of his foot injury, which could be a sign that it'll take him a while to recover.
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The Lakers have the Memphis Grizzlies up next. Memphis is a tough team to beat as it's currently in second place in the Western Conference. After that, the Lakers will play the Oklahoma City Thunder. Moving further into their schedule, they'll face the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors, two teams trying to make a playoff push.
LeBron James-less Lakers will be shorthanded against Memphis Grizzlies
The LA Lakers will be short-handed in their next game as LeBron James is listed as unavailable against the Memphis Grizzlies. Worse, there is a "fear" in the Lakers camp that the injury could require significant recovery time.
Los Angeles (29-32) has been impressive lately, winning three games in a row, two of which came after the All-Star break.
Aside from James, D'Angelo Russell has been listed as doubtful due to a right ankle sprain. Anthony Davis is listed as probable with a right foot stress injury.
These injuries could heavily impact their season as they try to make a push to be in the playoff mix.
The injury to LeBron James could determine the outcome of the Lakers' season once again
LeBron James injured his ankle in Sunday's 111-108 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Unlike his other injuries, this looks serious and could make a huge impact on the team's run for the rest of the season.
James suffered the injury late in the third quarter. The 19-time All-Star attempted a layup and planted his right foot in an awkward way. As he landed, he said that he "heard a pop" from his right ankle.
Watch the sequence below:
LeBron has been the biggest factor in the team's success, and his absence will determine how the Lakers end this season. After the game, he was seen walking with a limp, showing that the injury is serious.
Former NFL star Shannon Sharpe has shared his concerns about James' injuries. According to Sharpe, the concern level for the four-time champion's injury is a 10:
"For me, he does not look like the same LeBron James that we saw the guy play from his birthday until he injured that foot — I think it was February 7th," Sharpe said. "His birthday was December 30th; February 7th when he broke Kareem’s (scoring) record. He does not look like the same player from the fourth quarter on of that game to what we see now."
"The foot is clearly bothering him. There are some things that he can’t do that he normally could do, and he’s not playing the same brand of basketball that we’ve seen from LeBron. And as long as LeBron James is not healthy, they’re not going anywhere."
The Lakers' season is in jeopardy now that LeBron is dealing with a foot injury.
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