LeBron James, Who Sent Injury Update Via Text, Reveals If Playoff Lure Forces Him To Play In Pain

After missing the Los Angeles Lakers‘ double overtime win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, LeBron James was expected to be back tonight. But ahead of the game, the ‘Akron Hammer’ had sent Chris Haynes a text message update on his injury. He was quite candid about his plans for dealing with his foot in the following days. The forward emphasized that a strategy was necessary in reaching the finish line.

During the post-game interview tonight, LeBron once again stressed the importance of taking care of one’s health. “Our health has always been the most important thing for our ball club,” he iterated. Bron also admitted that if he wasn’t in good shape for the playoffs, then it was of no use to anyone, least of all himself.

LeBron has been dealing with ankle soreness for quite some time now. He and Anthony Davis are often on the injury list as ‘Questionable’. When the time comes though, they do suit up. And with good reason, too. The Purple & Gold was the other big-name team that suffered terribly this season. Inconsistencies, locker room issues, coach-player disagreements, and frequent lineup changes all contributed to the Lakers currently sitting ninth in the Western Conference.

They hold a record of 41-32 now and with less than 10 games to go, James’ presence on the court is all the more crucial. Yet, as the 20x All-Star noted, if he cannot take the floor for the postseason, then all of this wouldn’t be beneficial. For a team that cannot handle regular season games without Bron playing 30+ minutes every other night, the likelihood of them surviving the more aggressive and cutthroat atmosphere of the playoffs is slim. But tonight’s Lakers were impressive.

LeBron James and Co. extend their winning streak to 5 against helpless Grizzlies

LA was missing their defensive big man, Davis, for the night. The forward was sidelined due to a knee injury. That, however, did not stop the team from taking advantage of the 13th-seeded Memphis. The Lakers opted for a balanced attack that saw seven players with double figures; highlighted with Rui Hachimura and James’ remarkable stats.

Bron finished the night with a triple-double of 23 points, 12 assists, and 14 rebounds. Hachimura, for his part, with a game-high 32 points and 10 rebounds, notched a double-double of his own while shooting 7-of-8 from downtown. D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Taurean Prince accounted for a combined eight triples and Los Angeles was off like a bullet.

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