How LeBron James’ ankle injury affects Lakers’ chances against Warriors and Stephen Curry.
Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James will miss Thursday’s game against the Golden State Warriors with an ankle injury, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
James missed time earlier this season due to rest purposes and a sprained left ankle suffered in January.
The Lakers are 4-3 when he’s out of the lineup this season.
In his 21st season in the NBA, James has shown few signs of slowing down.
He’s averaging 24.8 points, 7.8 assists and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 52.0 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from three-point range.
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He turned 39 on Dec. 30, but he’s performing better than most players in the league.Despite James’ stellar performance this season, the Lakers have been a middling team that has struggled to find consistency.
Los Angeles started the year with momentum after winning the In-Season Tournament championship, but things quickly fell apart and the team sits ninth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record.
While James is out of the lineup, the Lakers turn to star forward Anthony Davis to be the primary option on offense.
The big man has been healthy for most of the year and has been one of the most productive players in the league on both ends of the floor.
James’ absence would also open up more minutes for players like Rui Hachimura.
