Lebron James 23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks over DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on December 20, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP)
Los Angeles: Four-time NBA champion Lebron James will miss the Los Angeles Lakers' game at Minnesota on Thursday with tendinitis in his left ankle, the club announced.
The 38-year-old power forward delivered 25 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists on Wednesday in a 124-108 Lakers loss at Chicago.
The Lakers fell to 1-4 since capturing the first NBA In-Season Tournament crown and James said the slump is not only about emotional and physical fatigue for the team but also something more.
"It's a combination of everything," James said. "It's the emotional fatigue, it's the physical fatigue, it's the grind of the season fatigue, and when you're not winning obviously that's the frustration fatigue. So, a little combination of everything."
James leads the Lakers with 25.2 points a game and also sets the club pace with 7.3 assists and 1.5 steals per contest while ranking second behind Anthony Davis in rebounds with 7.7 a game.
Since their tournament title, the Lakers have allowed the most 3-pointers per game of any NBA club and rank second-to-last in opponent 3-point shooting percentage at 42.8%.
