NBA All-Star Game Injury Report: Will LeBron James Suit Up for the West After Sitting Out in the Last Lakers Game?

The All-Star Weekend is upon us. There is a palpable feeling of anticipation and intrigue surrounding the latest iteration of the mid-season spectacle, which kicks off later tonight. Fans of the NBA can expect some spectacular plays during the course of the entire weekend, courtesy of the league’s finest players. However, it’s the electrifying All-Star Game that will undoubtedly steal the spotlight.

The All-Star Game is scheduled to tip-off by 8:00 PM, Eastern Time at the Pacers’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. However, the fans could be in for a big disappointment, as reports have emerged that 20x All-Star (and probably the biggest NBA star), LeBron James, might miss the All-Star Game due to a nagging ankle injury.

LeBron questionable for the All-Star Game

The All-Star Game is regarded as the biggest regular season spectacle on the NBA calendar. But, the allure of the All-Star Game may greatly diminish if the biggest star in the NBA doesn’t play in the spectacle. Earlier in the month, LeBron was named as the team captain of the Western Conference. However, King James sat out against the Utah Jazz on 14th February due to an ankle injury.

LeBron’s recent ankle injury has put his participation in the All-Star Game in doubt. But all indications suggest that he will probably still play a partial role in the mid-season event. Apart from LeBron, Clippers’ star Kawhi Leonard also missed the Clippers’ 130-125 victory over the Golden State Warriors because of an abductor issue. Clippers’ HC Ty Lue stated that Kawhi’s injury isn’t serious, but he’s not quite sure about his availability for the All-Star Game, as per reports from ESPN’s Kendra Andrews.

With two of its biggest stars questionable for the All-Star game, the Western Conference would have their work cut out. However, they still possess some of the very best in the business. The five stars who would start for the West in the All-Star game are Luka Dončić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokić.

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While the West could miss LeBron and Kawhi, the East will surely miss the services of reigning MVP, Joel Embiid. Embiid suffered a meniscus tear against the Warriors, which has ruled him out for 4-6 weeks. Apart from Embiid, Knicks’ star Julius Randle will also miss the All-Star Game because of a shoulder injury. Scottie Barnes and Trae Young will replace the injured duo. The East would start the game with Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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