The Los Angeles Lakers announced that superstar LeBron James suffered a groin strain late in Saturday night’s loss to the Boston Celtics. He was not able to return after suffering the injury in the final minutes of the 111-101 defeat.
In 35 minutes before suffering the injury, James had 22 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists on 11-of-23 shooting. He was the team’s only source of offense for much of the night with other guys struggling from the outside.
After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick did not have an update on LeBron, although he understandably expressed some concern, via Dan Woike of the L.A. Times:
JJ says there is “obviously concern” with LeBron James’ groin injury, but that he doesn’t have any information.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) March 9, 2025
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, James could miss weeks due to the injury:
It is too early to project an accurate timetable for how long LeBron James could miss because of his left groin injury, sources told ESPN. However one source said the initial thought is that it will sideline James for a matter of weeks, not a matter of days.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 9, 2025
James has dealt with some groin issues in the past, notably missing a few weeks with a strain in 2022 and an extended period in 2018-19.
While the 40-year-old has mostly been able to stay healthy this season, he is obviously no spring chicken so any time he gets hurt it is concerning and a reason to be cautious. If he is forced to miss significant time, then Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and the rest of the Lakers’ role players will need to step up in his absence.
James is an irreplaceable player on this team and in the NBA as a whole, so everyone will surely be holding their breathes until there is more clarity on the severity of the injury.
LeBron James believes Lakers’ offense should run though Luka Doncic
Before suffering the groin injury, LeBron James had been playing some of his best basketball of the season. One of the reasons for that was he was feeling fresher while playing off the ball more alongside Luka Doncic, which James thinks is how the Lakers’ offense should be run.
“In order for us to be the team, ultimately, we need to be, the ball needs to be in Luka’s hands. … I’m very comfortable playing off the ball,” LeBron recently said. “Finding my spots, running the floor, getting outlet passes from Luka. Being on the backside of the defense is either being blitzed and pick and rolls or switched in pick and rolls track so many eyes and bodies I’ve been very blessed to be able to be adaptable to whatever team I’ve been on throughout my career, to be able to change and this is another instance.”
If James misses time with the groin injury, obviously the ball will continue to be in Doncic’s hands.
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