LeBron James said his leg was “sore” following Sunday’s game, when the Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane was knocked into LeBron’s leg and he went to the ground for a minute. However, he said he would get treatment and thought he could play Tuesday in San Antonio.
It turns out LeBron and the Lakers are going to play it safe, and he will be out for the game, the team announced.
Malik Monk will get the start in LeBron’s place.
The injury happened halfway through the second quarter Sunday night, when Bane drove the rim and got up a shot, Lakers’ center Dwight Howard rotated over to try and block it and collided with Bane, knocking the Grizzlies forward to the ground and right into the leg of LeBron.
“The first thing I was thinking to myself was, ‘Not again,’” LeBron said, referring to the play last season when Solomon Hill fell into his leg, leading to a severe ankle sprain that cost him 26 games and slowed him in the playoffs. “Because obviously, it was almost similar but not the same kind of play. Guy falls into my leg and there’s nothing you can do about it, and I couldn’t get my leg out of there in time.”
LeBron said he chose to lay on the floor for a minute, and when he got up he tied his she again and decided he could go. LeBron stayed in the game and played 40 minutes in what was the first Lakers’ win.
Just three games into a marathon 82-game NBA season, the Lakers are wise not to push LeBron and risk anything worse happening.
The Lakers play tomorrow (Wednesday) night in Oklahoma City, then return to Los Angeles to host the Cavaliers on Friday.
