For the third time, LeBron James felt that all-too-familiar pain during Saturday night’s matchup against the Celtics. With 7:05 left on the clock, he drove past Jaylen Brown and knocked down a left-handed floater, cutting the Lakers’ deficit to 92-85. Just when it seemed like momentum was shifting, James started limping. The Lakers quickly called a timeout at 6:44, and as he walked to the bench, he let JJ Redick know exactly what was wrong.

“It’s my groin.” said LeBron.

He injured his groin in 2018, in his debut season with the Lakers for the first time. LeBron didn’t leave fans hanging—he let everyone know the injury wasn’t as bad as it seemed after the match. But he didn’t stick around for the final stretch of the Lakers’ road trip. Following medical advice, he headed back to Los Angeles to keep working on his groin recovery. Sources told ESPN that he’s making solid progress, but instead of traveling to Milwaukee and Denver, he’s prioritizing rehab—smart move for the long haul.

At first, Lakers insiders told ESPN that LeBron would need around two weeks off, plus another 7-10 days to get back into game shape. But right before the Bucks matchup, JJ Redick had a different take—he called LeBron day-to-day. That’s a much better outlook, especially for fans itching to see him back on the court.

Along with the 21x All-Star, the Lakers are also missing key rotation players due to injuries. Jaxson Hayes is sidelined with a right knee contusion, while Rui Hachimura is dealing with left patellar tendinopathy. Both of them were also sent to LA to recover.

The Lakers (40-24) just can’t catch a break without the King, dropping their third straight game. Luka Dončić put on a show with 45 points on 14-of-27 shooting, adding 11 rebounds for good measure. Austin Reaves did his part too, knocking down 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting, but even that couldn’t stop the skid against the Bucks as they fell 126-102.

LeBron James’ absence is hurting the Lakers

The Lakers came into Thursday’s game against the Bucks desperate to snap their losing streak, but missing key players proved costly. Struggling against Milwaukee’s size, they couldn’t keep up and suffered a 126-106 defeat.

Things started off competitive, with both teams trading buckets. But once Damian Lillard drilled a deep three to make it 14-8, the Bucks took control. The Lakers’ offense sputtered, while Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated inside. Luka Dončić tried to keep them afloat, pouring in 16 first-quarter points. Dalton Knecht added five late, trimming the deficit to 33-29.

The second quarter was rough for L.A. Lillard sparked a 9-0 run at the free-throw line, stretching Milwaukee’s lead. Dončić responded by setting up Dorian Finney-Smith before going on a 10-point tear himself. But every time the Lakers built momentum, the Bucks countered with open threes. Austin Reaves provided a late boost, yet L.A. still went into halftime trailing 71-63.

The third quarter? A nightmare. Giannis overpowered defenders, Lopez cashed in from deep, and Dončić was left shouldering the entire offensive load. By the time the fourth began, the Lakers were drowning in a 20-point hole.

They managed to cut it to 16, but the Bucks never let them get any closer. The only silver lining? Dončić had his best performance since joining L.A., finishing with 45 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block on 14-of-27 shooting. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to avoid another loss.