BOSTON — In a pivotal moment during the game, LeBron James showcased his skill by driving against Jaylen Brown, executing a series of impressive moves before sinking a left-handed floating hook shot. This basket significantly reduced the Los Angeles Lakers’ deficit from 20 points to just seven, bringing the score to 92-85 with 7:05 remaining in the fourth quarter. After a challenging third quarter where the Lakers were outscored 29-13, momentum seemed to shift in their favor. However, this surge was short-lived.
As James prepared to transition back to defense, he began to move gingerly, indicating discomfort. During the subsequent defensive possession, he opted to step aside as Brown drove to the basket, allowing the Boston Celtics star to score uncontested. Immediately, James raised his hand, signaling to the Lakers’ coaching staff that he needed to exit the game. A timeout was called with 6:44 left on the clock, and as he approached the sideline, James confided in coach JJ Redick, saying, “It’s my groin.” Redick later revealed that at that moment, he mentally ruled James out for the remainder of the game and began strategizing on how the Lakers could secure a win without their 40-year-old superstar.
During the timeout, James attempted to alleviate his discomfort by squatting and stretching with the assistance of longtime trainer Mike Mancias. Unfortunately, he winced in pain and ultimately made his way to the locker room, where he was shortly thereafter diagnosed with a left groin strain. In his post-game comments, he reflected, “I maybe extended it a little too much.”
The Lakers did manage to rally, closing the gap to four points on two occasions. However, they ultimately fell short, losing to the Celtics 111-101 at TD Garden, marking the end of their eight-game winning streak and dropping their record to 40-22, placing them at No. 3 in the Western Conference.
Following the game, the primary concern was the extent of James’ groin strain. Team sources confirmed that he is expected to be sidelined for 1-2 weeks. James compared his current situation to a more severe injury he suffered on Christmas Day in 2018 against the Golden State Warriors, which had him out for 17 games. However, he reassured fans, stating, “No, it’s not as bad as that.” To emphasize his point, he knocked on the wood near his name tag, hoping to avoid jinxing himself.
Adding to the Lakers' woes, Redick disclosed that Rui Hachimura is expected to be out for at least another week due to a knee injury, and Jaxson Hayes remains unavailable with a knee contusion. With James joining the list of injured players, the entire starting frontcourt is now sidelined. This comes at a critical time, as the Lakers are set to face the No. 2 Denver Nuggets twice in the next ten days.
The Lakers are finishing their road trip with games against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, followed by matchups against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Denver Nuggets later in the week. This stretch marks the beginning of an eight-day period during which they will play three consecutive back-to-backs. Currently, the Lakers find themselves a half-game behind the Nuggets, two games ahead of the No. 4 Memphis Grizzlies, and three games ahead of the No. 5 Houston Rockets.
So, how can the Lakers navigate this challenging period without their star player? Coach Redick emphasized the need to “continue to play hard and play defense.” The Lakers have been recognized as the league's best defense since mid-January, and they will need to rely heavily on this strength to maintain their competitiveness.
There is no direct replacement for a player of James’ caliber. He has participated in 58 of the Lakers’ 62 games this season, proving to be a pivotal figure in their recent 20-5 stretch, which has seen the team cope without stars like Anthony Davis or Luka Dončić. James was named Player of the Month for February, averaging an impressive 25.1 points, 8.5 assists, and 8.1 rebounds per game.
Interestingly, data shows that when James is off the floor, the Lakers have outscored their opponents by 21.6 points per 100 possessions. Despite the small sample size, this statistic offers a glimmer of hope that the Lakers can maintain their winning ways even in James’ absence.
As Austin Reaves noted, the team has faced various challenges before and has demonstrated resilience in bouncing back. “Not one person’s gonna do what LeBron does for us. But you can do it as a collective,” he said. James will continue to travel with the team during their four-game trip, but he remains cautious about his recovery, stating, “We’ll see what happens in the next few days and then go from there.”
Regardless of whether James plays, the Lakers’ mission remains straightforward: to win as many games as possible and enter the playoffs in peak condition. “We can compete versus anyone in this league,” James asserted. “We got to continue to build our habits.” With a late-season acquisition and a focus on cohesion, the Lakers aim to unite their strengths and see what they can accomplish together.
