LeBron James gave an update on his groin injury following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 111-101 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday night. The Lakers star was forced to exit the game in the fourth quarter after sustaining a strained groin.
“Not much concern…Obviously we’ll go day-to-day and look at it each day and see if it gets better and then take the proper measures and see what we need to do moving forward,” James said postgame.
James finished with a strong stat line of 22 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists before leaving the game. At 40 years old, he continues to play at a high level, averaging 25.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game this season.
The Celtics (46-18) controlled the game for the most part, but the Lakers (40-22) made a late push, narrowing a 20-point deficit to single digits. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown sealed Boston’s fourth straight win by combining for the final 12 points.
James’ injury occurred as the Lakers were battling to stay in the game. The groin strain cut short his impressive performance and raised concerns about his availability moving forward.
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 34 points and eight rebounds, in his first game in Boston since the 2024 NBA Finals. However, the Lakers struggled with offensive consistency throughout the night, especially in the third quarter when they managed just 13 points.
Despite their struggles, the Lakers attempted a comeback, with James contributing significantly before his exit. The Celtics, however, held off the Lakers with stifling defense and clutch scoring from Tatum and Brown.
Boston’s defense was key to their victory, holding the Lakers to just 21% shooting in the third quarter and forcing six turnovers. Jrue Holiday returned from a finger injury to contribute, adding seven points, five rebounds, and one assist. Kristaps Porzingis, however, was sidelined with an illness.
Tatum was unstoppable, scoring 40 points, including a crucial three-pointer that helped extend Boston’s lead to double digits. Brown also contributed with 31 points, and the Celtics’ defense limited the Lakers’ three-point shooting to just 35%.
For the Lakers, despite Doncic’s efforts, they couldn’t recover from the shooting woes and the loss of James. The game ended the Lakers’ eight-game home winning streak.
Moving forward, James’ injury will be a significant storyline for the Lakers. His status remains uncertain, and the team will likely lean on Doncic and Austin Reaves in the coming games while assessing James’ recovery.
