Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James Dealing With Foot Joint Arthritis On Top Of Sciatica
NBA legend LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is dealing with left foot joint arthritis on top of sciatica on his right side.
James, 40, is not expected to play on Friday against the Boston Celtics.
The Lakers will also be without Luka Dončić (personal) and Marcus Smart (back).
Los Angeles beat the Toronto Raptors on Thursday on a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer from Rui Hachimura. James, who didn’t score 10 points in a game for the first time since 2007, passed the ball to Hachimura for the game-winner at the buzzer.
“This is the best way. If it had to end, the perfect ending for the streak is tonight,” LeBron James told Dan Woike of The Athletic. “It’s literally who I am. That’s who I am. … It’s always been about: ‘How can I win the game? How can I make the right play and win the game?’ That streak just happened.”
James finished with eight points, six rebounds and 11 assists against the Raptors while shooting 4-of-17 from the field and 0-of-5 from 3. He’s averaging a career-low 14.0 points per game on the season.
However, the Lakers are 16-5, good for second place in the West, and 5-1 with James in the lineup.
“Being an all-time leading scorer was never a goal. Never,” LeBron James said. “I never had a goal of that. I wanted to lead the league in assists, multiple All-Stars and winning MVP and things like that. Starting a streak since ’07, no one says that. Beginning (in) 2007, I wasn’t like, ‘I’m about to start this double-digit streak.’ I just go out and play, and the game has given back to me, and it happened. And if it had to end, that’s the perfect way for me: making the right play.”
James, who turns 41 this month, could retire from the NBA after this season. He becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason for the first time since 2018.
“I think about it every damn day,” LeBron James said. “But I could get too distracted at the notion of thinking about it, ’cause I have a job to do still. But it’s inevitable that it’s coming down the pipeline at some point. I would be lying to you if I said I don’t think about it.”
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