Why is LeBron James not playing for LA Lakers? Latest injury update on 4x NBA champion - February 1, 2024

LeBron James continues to defy father time in his 21st NBA season, playing for the LA Lakers. In a much-anticipated rematch of last year's Christmas Day game against the Boston Celtics, James has been ruled out for the matchup alongside Anthony Davis. The Lakers previously lost to the Celtics 126-115 in the Crypto.com Arena.

So why is James not playing for LA Lakers tonight? The four-time NBA champion is dealing with a left ankle peroneal tendinopathy after logging 36 minutes in Tuesday night's disappointing 138-122 loss. In that game, James recorded 20.0 points (7-of-17 shooting, including 2-of-6 from 3-point range), 9.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists.

In his last head-to-head meeting against the Boston Celtics, James dropped 16.0 points (5-of-14 shooting, including 1-of-2 from 3-point range). He also recorded 9.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists in 37 minutes of action.

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What happened to LeBron James?

The Lakers star's left ankle peroneal tendinopathy started bothering him a day after the team's 124-108 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 20, 2023. Despite the loss, James recorded 25.0 points (10-of-18 shooting, including 1-of-3 from 3-point range), 10.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists.

Interestingly, this injury might be because James is 39 years of age. It may also contribute to his average of 34.7 minutes played per game this 2023-24 NBA season, as per USA Today Sports' Jordan Mendoza.

This will be a tough contest for the Lakers to overcome as they will be going up against the team with the current best record in the NBA (37-11). Anthony Davis (bilateral Achilles tendinopathy and left hip spasm), Gabe Vincent (left knee effusion surgery) and Cam Reddish (right ankle sprain) are out. So, the team will need excellent contributions from everyone playing.

Fans can expect D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves to take much of the Lakers' offensive responsibilities.

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When will LeBron James return?

There is no definite timeline for James' return provided by the LA Lakers. The team's medical staff will continue to monitor his condition for the next few days.

The Lakers are in ninth place (24-25 record) in the Western Conference and have lost five out of their last ten games. Entering this game, the team has lost two straight road games (Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks). This was after an impressive 145-144 double-overtime win against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night.

James missed five games this season before being ruled out for tonight's matchup against the Celtics. The LA Lakers have a 2-3 record in that span as they struggled to secure ball games without their best player on the court.