Lakers star LeBron James has achieved All-NBA honors for the past 21 seasons, but the league’s 65-game rule may bring that streak to an end.
James has been downgraded to out for Wednesday’s game at San Antonio due to left foot joint arthritis and right sciatica, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link). L.A. is on the second night of a back-to-back, and James logged 33 minutes in Tuesday’s win at New Orleans.
Tonight will mark the 17th missed game of the season for the 41-year-old James, who has been experiencing physical issues in his 23rd NBA season. He didn’t make his debut until November 18 after sitting out the first 14 games while recovering from sciatica. This will be just the third time he hasn’t been in the lineup since returning, but he’s already in a position where he would have to play every game for the rest of the season to reach 65.
That’s extremely unlikely considering James’ age and his importance to the Lakers in the playoffs, and it doesn’t appear that he’s concerned about it. James acknowledged Tuesday night that back-to-backs will be an iffy proposition moving forward.
“Every back-to-back for the rest of the season is TBD,” he said (Twitter video link from McMenamin). “I am 41, I got the most minutes in NBA history … bank it right now.”
Coach JJ Redick said he hopes James will be able to suit up in both nights of back-to-backs at some point, McMenamin tweets, but he was feeling pain in his left foot following Tuesday’s contest.
James was a second-team All-NBA selection last season and finished sixth in MVP voting as he appeared in 70 games and averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists in 34.9 minutes per night. His production has fallen to 21.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 6.8 APG so far this season.
He has experienced injury issues before, playing in just 45 games in 2020/21, 56 games in 2021/22 and 55 games in 2022/23. However, the NBA hadn’t instituted its 65-game minimum at the time, and his performance was strong enough to convince voters that he was worthy of All-NBA honors.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who had been listed as questionable with a left knee bone bruise, has been cleared to play, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link).
yes, Father Time is undefeated. I think Lebron is fine with not being considered for awards. He’s won them all. More than once.
Not quite.
uggggghhhhh you get my point though fact-checker.
Not normally. But, when it comes to LeBron…..give his fans an inch, they’ll take a mile. Let’s not go giving out achievements the man hasn’t got, kinda changes a curtain narrative pushed by the lemedia
god bless the bizarre world of the internet and goofy takes.
Lebron might be all NBA 3rd this year barely. They would have had to screw somebody over for him to make the team. He’s definitely not first or second team
Buying Buckets….LeBron isn’t 12th all nba this season. Just proves a point if he does he does make all nba.
Yh give chance to others bron! Time to think about enjoying the billions u earned and retire while you’re still healthy.
Even if he played 65 games would he still make the all nba teams?
These would be my teams with no consideration to game limits …
Cade SGA Luka Giannas Jokic
Brunson Maxey Brown Jalen Wemby
Curry Spida ANT Deni Sengun/KAT
Just said that there’s no way you take any of those players out. There’s a bunch of players playing better than him. He wasn’t going to make it this year anyway
My incredible James is playing so good against bad teams, Lakers are back
While skipping all the real smoke per usual.
imagine getting angry at a 41-year old for not playing a back-to-back.
Who is angry? Plenty of data out there on Bron missing smoke. Giannis, wemby, jokic etc. Dudes been skipping anyone and everyone for years. What’s LBJs age got to do with the opposition he chooses? I’d be taking the Amen Thompson approach. I don’t give a f**k who you use to be or who you think you are. You have on a different jersey to me, I’m going to bury you. LeBron knows this, so skips out on guys who will destroy him. What’s the odds LeBron bypasses Amen next time, because I’ll take that bet.
My classic James right there
But think about it for a minute, GeoGGG. At minimum, do you agree that, when it comes to choosing which game to play in a back-to-back, a player who is a TRUE competitor, who cares about his franchise and his teammates, would want to be out there in the tougher matchup of the two (i.e. – against the second-best team in the conference – a team ahead of you in the standings(!) – rather than the WORST team in the conference). If the Lakers were able to hang with the Spurs while fielding a skeleton squad, their chances would have been pretty good to hang with and beat the Pelicans, minus LeBron. And then Luka doesn’t have to try beat the Spurs by himself. If anything, it’s an implicit message he sends to Luka: I don’t much like getting embarrassed by younger, faster, more talented teams. So when I have a chance to avoid such humiliation, as in a back-to-back situation, you’re on your own, buddy.
That’s 100% true on that James statement 👍
LBJ will never be the GOAT. MJ. never missed games. I wish he did being a Knicks fan
The post LeBron era needs to get here asap.
I can’t wait for that. Less flopping, actually allowed to play D. Bring some physicality back. Less star calls. Everybody is trying to manipulate the game rather than try mastering the game and your opposition. This is the LeBron legacy. That…..super teams and lowest ratings the nba has ever had.
OneWay Wonder …….
Everyone knows it …
link to yardbarker.com
All the hate for LeBron is so pathetic…