USA Today via Reuters
Oct 26, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) talks with teammates on the bench in the first half of the game against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Oct 26, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) talks with teammates on the bench in the first half of the game against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Currently, the Los Angeles Lakers are tied with three teams at a 5-4 record. This should’ve been better if not for LeBron James missing games. It’s just the beginning of the season and the Lake Show are again a squad with multiple key injuries.
Notably, the duo of Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis can still carry the load on their shoulder, but a prolonged absence of the team leader can prove detrimental. So when can the Lakers fans expect the return of the king?
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
LeBron James and his comeback timeline
In the last six games, The Akron Hammer has missed three. Primarily, he missed the outing against the Spurs where the Lakers won in OT. Then, he stood out against the OKC because of the issues with his ankle. And most recently, he skipped his second game against the Thunder that ended in yet another loss.
Currently, the 4x NBA Champion is out for a week pertaining to an abdominal strain. This would mean that he’d miss at least four games before his complete recovery. So one can expect the L-Train to come back on November 14th to play Dejounte Murray’s Spurs.
Re: LeBron: James’ injury involves the rectus abdominis (the “six-pack” muscle), a muscle most active in trunk flexion that also stabilizes the pelvis. The average missed time for an abdominal strain in the NBA is ~4 games.
— Jeff Stotts (@InStreetClothes) November 5, 2021
Now, the Wolves and the Hornets aside, the Lakers will have to face dangerous competitors in the Blazers and Heat without their most reliable hand. Also, the memories of the collapses (after huge leads) against the Thunder will keep haunting them for a while.
Read more: LeBron James Reveals ‘Burning Desire’ to Overtake Michael Jordan
The Los Angeles Lakers are in a real trouble
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
It’s not just LeBron James who is dealing with injuries. Considering the thumb sprain of Anthony Davis, chances are good that he might also sit out for the next game. So this might mean some crazy additions to the list that already has Kendrick Nunn, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Trevor Ariza.
via Imago
Oct 26, 2021; LeBron James talks to forward Anthony Davis from the bench in the game against the Spurs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Now, coach Frank Vogel can confidently count only on Russ and Rajon Rondo as his shot creators. Plus, they’ll want Carmelo Anthony to pull even bigger offensive nights (especially against his former team in Portland) to stand a winning chance.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Do you see the Lakers climbing up the WC rankings anytime sooner? Help us know in the comments below.
Watch this story: LeBron James and Other NBA Players Who Bagged Lucrative Deals as Rookies
