When everyone is a winner, one has to step down, and for now, it was the Celtics who got the better of the Lakers. On Saturday, it was a stakes matchup at the TD Garden, as the LA Lakers faced the Boston Celtics. The game delivered on the hype as Boston snapped Los Angeles’ eight-game winning streak. The Celtics handed the Lakers a 111-101 defeat, thanks to a splendid performance by Jayson Tatum. Los Angeles put in a valent effort but fell short on the night, especially veteran superstar LeBron James. He put up 22 points, along with 14 rebounds and 9 assists. However, neither his nor the Lakers’ night ended well. If losing against their dreaded rivals wasn’t enough, the Lakers also suffered a massive injury blow.
Yes, LeBron James exited Saturday’s high-intensity matchup after experiencing some discomfort in his left groin. While his departure came out of nowhere, later it was revealed that the Lakers veteran had some problems in the interior part of his left leg. With just a few minutes left on the clock in the final quarter, James did not return to the court. Since then, this incident has become a huge reason for concern for the Lakers nation and everyone wants to know how bad the damage is.
The worst thing, this might not be a one-game rule-out. As per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the 40-year-old Lakers star could be sidelined for much longer than expected initially. “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.” McMenamin wrote on X.
This could be very unfortunate for the Lakers, as this injury comes at a very crucial point in the season. LA has now dropped to the third seed in the Western Conference after their loss.
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
Well, experts on different platforms shared how long it can take for James to get back to the court. If it is a Grade I strain, it can keep a player out for at least 1-2 weeks. Whereas, if the strain is Grade II, then James could miss 3 weeks or longer. With prayers and the best medicos looking into it, the Lakers will hope it’s just a Grade I strain and LeBron will be back within a couple of weeks. If not, other teams eyeing LA’s place on the table will look to pounce on this opportunity with just a handful of games left in the season. This brings in extended responsibility on Luka Doncic to lead the Lakers offensive.
Doncic, who himself carries the tag of being injury-prone, lets out his thoughts. He admitted that Los Angeles could face some adversities without James among their ranks. “Yeah, I mean, hopefully it’s nothing. Obviously, he’s got to take his time. Those injuries are, I won’t say the worst, but they’re tough to deal with. So just take time and we’ve got to have, as a team, a next-one-up mentality.” Said Doncic.
LeBron’s teammate hopes it’s not as bad as feared, as everyone awaits the test results for more clarity. However, he knows how difficult these types of injuries can be, and James knows it all too well. This brings us to a glaring issue for the Lakers.
How will the LA Lakers fare without LeBron James? A look at the past without the veteran
LeBron James has been the backbone of this Lakers side carrying them to several wins playing in 58 out of the 62 games he played this season. James is averaging 25 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 8.5 assists while shooting 51.7 percent on the line. So, not having him on the court is going to leave a massive gap in the team. What’s more concerning is their record without having LeBron on the court.
Feb 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the LA Clippers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images.
Without the King on the court, the Lakers were 9-6 in the past two seasons. And the record is not great, especially when we take into account that they are aiming for a deep playoff run and, of course, a potential shot at the championship. But then, past lapses are meant to be lessons and JJ is sure to have a plan ready to take the team ahead from here.
Yes, Head Coach JJ Redick will have to play a huge role in this. He’ll have to make changes to not only his game plan but also his tactics. But who will fill in for James? Players stars such as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves will have to step up big time. But, more importantly, Jarred Vanderbilt and Dorian Finney-Smith will have to fill the forward position collectively. Interestingly, LA will face some stern tests against Denver and Milwaukee in the coming weeks. So, everyone will be closely watching what happens in Los Angeles in the coming weeks as we wait for more updates.
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