By According to multiple reports, the Los Angeles Lakers fear that LeBron James could be out for several weeks after sustaining a foot injury in his team’s win over Dallas on Sunday. They’ve already announced that he’s ‘out’ of tonight’s game at Memphis.
The Lakers have lost nine of 14 games without James this year and since 2018-19, they’re 36-62 when he’s out of the lineup.
The 38-year-old James is averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game. He’s shooting at a 50.1 percent clip from the field through 47 games.
Despite suffering the injury in the third quarter, James gutted it out and scored 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter. The win was the third straight for the Lakers, who are 14-18 both straight up and against the spread in 32 road games going into tonight’s showdown against the Grizzlies.
Los Angeles (29-32 SU, 29-31-1 ATS) is 1.5 games behind New Orleans for the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. Portland is a one-half game ahead of L.A. and one game back of the Pelicans, who are only one-half game behind Minnesota for ninth place in the West.
With 21 games remaining, James could return for L.A.’s last 13 contests if he can get back by March 15. On March 17, the Lakers begin a five-game homestand, but then they’re back on the road for five straight contests. They finish the regular season with back-to-back home game vs. Phoenix and vs. Utah.
After tonight’s game at Memphis as a nine-point underdog, L.A. is in a back-to-back spot tomorrow at Oklahoma City. The Thunder remain in the mix in the West’s postseason mix, too, trailing the Lakers by just one-half game.
D’Angelo Russell, who was acquired from Minnesota right before the trade deadline, is ‘doubtful’ tonight against the Grizzlies due to an ankle injury he’s been nursing for the last five days. Before leaving a home win over Golden St. after playing only 8:48 on Feb. 23, Russell made a major impact in his first three games.
In a Feb. 11 win at Golden St., Russell produced 15 points, six assists and five rebounds. Then in a loss at Portland, Russell had 16 points, three rebounds and four assists compared to one turnover. He had 21 points, two rebounds, one steal and a 7/1 assist-to-turnover ratio in a home win over New Orleans.
