Lakers News: LeBron James Could Miss Multiple Games With Groin Injury

Maybe he shouldn't have played through that sore left foot.

When Los Angeles Lakers small forward LeBron James was forced to depart last night's 114-101 Clippers loss with 5:41 remaining in the game, it seemed like he had aggravated his groin following an awkward landing during a post-up attempt against Clippers All-Star forward Paul George.

In press remarks postgame last night, James indicated that he intended to play through the injury. 

Today, the Lakers are singing a different tune.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that James will most likely not suit up for one of L.A.'s most winnable games all season, a home tilt against the Sacramento Kings Friday. 

James is now dealing with a left adductor strain, as revealed by team imaging (per Dave McMenamin of ESPN) and the sore left foot. Charania adds that James is officially considered day-to-day, but that he be sat on Sunday in another actually-winnable contest (well, winnable with LeBron James available, at least), against the Brooklyn Nets. 

Assuming he misses both these games, Charania writes, the soonest that the Chosen One would have to suit up would be L.A.'s November 18th game against the rebuilding 3-9 Detroit Pistons, yet another winnable affair.

The 37-year-old forward has been enjoying a decent individual season in terms of traditional statistics, but his shooting is down across the board, and he sure doesn't seem to be having the same winning impact he has enjoyed in seasons past.

After the game, James detailed the immediate impact of the injury and his decision-making in requesting to be subbed out:

LeBron James said he felt a spasm or strain in his groin and immediately asked to come out. pic.twitter.com/4qDd5Obeva

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) November 10, 2022

"When I landed I felt a little spasm or strain in my groin so immediately I asked to come out after the next play down when I went to the free throw line," James said. "It's not as bad [as the Christmas 2018 groin injury that kept him out for months]." So hey, there's that! "I'm actually not worried about my body... because I put the work in, so my body will let me know when it's time to [play again]."

James acknowledged that, in part because the Lakers were struggling at 2-9, he was hopeful to be available sooner rather than later to help his teammates.

For the night, even missing those closing minutes, James still finished with 30 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the floor, plus eight rebounds and eight assists.