Lakers Injury Report: LeBron James Explains Early Exit From Sacramento Loss

The latest on The Chosen One's ailment.

Los Angeles Lakers fans held their collective breaths when All-Star LA forward LeBron James did not pass "Go" or collect $200 at the 3:56 mark of an eventual 130-120 defeat to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, and instead gritting his teeth made straight the team's Crypto.com Arena locker room.

After the matchup, the 6'9" vet explained to attendant reporters postgame (as captured by Spectrum SportsNet) that the ailment remains the same left ankle peroneal tendinopathy that has plagued him for the past several months.

"It's just my ankle, what I've been dealing with before the break, after the break. I'm just managing the best that I can." LeBron James on his injury late in the 4th. pic.twitter.com/55XjyZaboQ

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 7, 2024

"It's just my ankle, what what I've been dealing with before the break, after the break. I'm just managing the best that I can," James offered. "Some games [it's] better than others. I didn't feel it at all [in LA's 116-104 Monday win] against OKC, and I didn't feel it at all until the fourth quarter tonight."

Here's the moment James departed the matchup:

LeBron James went back to the Lakers locker room as LA trailed the Kings 14 with 3:56 left.pic.twitter.com/Hl5MnrXHLJ

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 7, 2024

It was a brutal game. The Lakers went from leading by as many as 19 points late in the contest's first quarter to trailing by as many as 22, before a late rally got LA fake-close. 

The loss was also extra costly for Los Angeles, as it not only dropped them back another game, but also dealt a direct play-in competitors a victory.