Lakers: LeBron James Out Tonight Against Philadelphia 76ers

LeBron James will not be playing tonight against the 76ers.

NBA fans will not get to enjoy the league's top two scorers battling it out tonight when the Lakers host the 76ers at Crypto.com Arena. LeBron James is officially out with left knee soreness. He currently leads 76ers star center Joel Embiid in scoring by a slim margin. Entering the game, Lebron is averaging 30.0 points per game with Embiid putting up an average of 29.8.

Shams Charania of The Athletic was first to report the news that LeBron will not be playing tonight.

Lakers say LeBron James (knee) is out tonight vs. 76ers.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 23, 2022

Be that as it may, LeBron getting some rest is more important than outscoring Embiid in a nationally televised game. It might be even more paramount that the Lakers winning the game. If LeBron isn't healthy for the Lakers nine games, they could slip out of the play-in tournament. 

Sitting this game out means that LeBron will have had five full days off before the Lakers take on the New Orleans Pelicans. Currently, the Lakers hold a one game lead over the Pelicans for the right to host the single elimination game between the nine-seed and ten-seed in the play-in tournament. 

It appears the Lakers, and LeBron, have prioritized the New Orleans game over the Philadelphia contest.