Lakers News: LeBron James Provides Unsettling Update on Shin Injury

Hopefully, everything is alright moving forward.

Your Los Angeles Lakers rallied from a 14-point deficit to secure a 122-119 comeback victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, giving them their first road win of the young 2023-24 season. All-NBA forward LeBron James was special once again for the team, putting up 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists along the way.

Despite the big win over the Suns, the Lakers all held a collective sigh of relief during the game, as it appeared James may have been injured early on. He collided with Suns forward Kevin Durant in the first quarter and was seen limping afterward.

He ended up playing through the injury but gave a potentially grim update afterward on his shin

“It never loosened up,” James said. "Pretty sore right now. Obviously, because the adrenaline is calming down and iced it and all that stuff. Now it’s pretty sore.”

Per Jovan Buha of The Athletic

If James has to miss any time due to injury, it would be a massive blow to this Lakers team. Even in year 21, he is the heartbeat of the organization, and they need him out on the floor. 

"Even if the Lakers had to scrap and claw to overcome another bad start, this is the kind of win that could change the course of their season. They have a clearer sense of their identity and how to build their foundational lineups, particularly in crunchtime. James’ trust and confidence in his supporting cast is even stronger. Their schedule lightens up significantly, with six of their next seven games at home."

Per Jovan Buha of The Athletic

They head home for a few games now, with the Portland Trail Blazers coming to town on Sunday. His status for the game remains up in the air at this time, but the team will likely be cautious with him.

Despite their early-year minutes restriction plan, James has racked up a ton of playing time so far this season. They need to be careful with him this early in the year, to avoid anything major happening down the line.

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