It just keeps getting worst for the Los Angeles Lakers. Not only did they blow a 23-point lead in a must-win game against the New Orleans Pelicans but they may also have lost LeBron James, at least to some extent.
James landed awkwardly and twisted his ankle during the game and it clearly took a toll on his explosiveness. While he was still able to finish the night with 39 points, he struggled to move and get back on defense.
The Lakers had to call a timeout to check on Jamesā status and, albeit he was able to play through it and finish the game, it now seems like he could miss some time down the stretch, just when they canāt afford it.
NBA News: LeBron James Opens Up On āHorribleā Ankle Injury
āI felt a sharp pain in my leg and it started getting hot, and Iāve been there with ankle sprains before,ā LeBron said after the game. āI didnāt want to come out of the game because I understood how big of a game it was for us.ā
āI have no idea how I finished the game, to be honest, after watching that replay. Itās pretty nasty,ā James added. āItās horrible right now. And unfortunately, weāre about to hop on a flight too. Iāve just got to get treatment around the clock, see what happens day-to-day, but itās pretty sore right now.ā
Frank Vogel Says The Clock Is Ticking On The Lakers
The Lakers blew one of the biggest games of the season and are now at serious risk of not even making it to the play-in tournament. Thatās why Coach Frank Vogel even said that the loss really āhurtā:
āItās not good. It hurts, this game hurts,ā Vogel said.āItās a big game. But we have to regroup and find a way to beat Dallas and get some wins down the stretch here. Timeās running out on us and we came out with the proper urgency for this game but werenāt able to close it.ā
All things considered and judging by the seriousness of the injury, perhaps the Lakers would be better off just shutting down LeBron until the end of the season, as their chances of making it to the first round are getting slimmer by the second.
