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LeBron James he will miss his second game in a row after being left out of the squad earlier in the week for “personal reasons”.
The Los Angeles Lakers star, 39, missed the team’s Sunday, Dec. 8 game against the Portland Trail Blazers with a left leg injury — the first game James has missed this season.
At the team’s practice on Wednesday, December 11, the head coach of the Lakers JJ Redick explained James’s noticeable absence.
“LeBron is not with the team right now,” Redick, 40, told reporters. “He’s out for personal reasons, excused absence.”
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Redick said James is “taking some time” away from the team as the four-time MVP tries to get his body in order for the remainder of his 22nd NBA season.
On Thursday, December 12, the Lakers announced that James would not play in the team’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, December 13. The power forward is officially listed with a “painful left leg”.
Resources he told ESPN that James did not accompany the Lakers on their flight to Minnesota.
The Lakers are scheduled to return to action on Sunday, December 15 at home against the Memphis Grizzlies. James’ status for this game has not yet been announced.
First-year Lakers coach Redick told reporters Wednesday that James has undoubtedly been tired lately. He last played in overtime for the Lakers on Friday, December 6 against the Atlanta Hawks.
“He asked about the sub a couple of times in the game because he was gassed,” Redick said. “For us, we’ve got to be aware as we play more and more games, just the cumulative effect of playing a lot of minutes, and on Sunday when he got kicked, it was like a good opportunity for him to get some rest.”
Things haven’t been smooth sailing for LeBron or the Lakers over the past month. Heading into Friday’s game against the Timberwolves, the team had lost seven of its last 10 games.
James, who turns 40 on Dec. 30, is averaging 23 points, 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds on the season.
After the Lakers’ loss to the Hawks, James spoke about how injuries to the team’s depth players made things difficult.
“We don’t agree with the lineups, of course we try to find ways,” he said. “So it’s very challenging. We don’t have much room for error. … They are big, big, big, big pieces.”
James added: “I don’t know what will get us over the hump.” We just have to not drown. Don’t drown and we’ll be fine.”
