MY ACCOUNT
LeBron James has been ruled out of the Los Angeles Lakers’ game with the San Antonio Spurs on Monday due to “significant” knee soreness.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel revealed the news prior to tip-off with James battling soreness in his knee following Saturday’s 56-point display in the 124-116 win over the Golden State Warriors.
Vogel said the issue was ongoing and part of the 37-year-old’s game-to-game management.
“He had some soreness in the knee the day after the game that [normally] subsides by the next game,” Vogel told reporters pre-game.
“When we got here [San Antonio] the soreness today was still significant enough for us to rule him out.”
The Lakers are struggling with a 28-35 record seeing them sit ninth in the Western Conference but James has been exceptional this season.
The 2003 number one Draft pick is averaging 29.4 points per game this season, behind only Joel Embiid with 29.5.
James, who is also averaging 8.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists this season, has the fourth highest league-wide minutes per game this season with 36.8.
“With the heavy load that he’s carrying for us this year, we know that’s [games out] always a possibility,” Vogel said.
“That’s why we continue to list him as questionable to see how it responds in the 48 hours between games. This is just one of those days where it was significant enough to hold him out.”
Vogel said he was “hopeful” the four-time NBA MVP would be fit to play the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
