Mark Medina
LOS ANGELES — Lakers star LeBron James will miss Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, marking the third consecutive game he will miss after taking a fall during last week’s game in Denver.
“He probably still needs a couple of more days,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He’s still day-to-day.”
That makes it uncertain whether James will return on Thursday against the Chicago Bulls or on Saturday against the Denver Nuggets. James completed pre-game warmups ahead of Sunday’s win over the New York Knicks and Wednesday’s game against Minnesota. But the Lakers currently list the 41-year-old James with nursing a right hip contusion and left foot arthritis. Redick said James suffered the hip injury after taking a fall last Thursday in Denver, the same play when he also suffered a left elbow contusion.
“He’s trying to ramp up,” Redick said. “He wants to be out there. So do we. Hopefully he’s back soon.”
The Lakers (39-25) rank fifth in the Western Conference and trail Minnesota (40-24) and the Houston Rockets (40-24) by one game. The Lakers have gone 2-0 against Minnesota and lost to the Rockets on Christmas Day. The Lakers face the Rockets in a two-game trip on March 16 and March 18.
The Lakers have 9-2 in games with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves without James amid various injuries. But the Lakers have pushed back against any suggestion the Lakers are better without James. He missed all of training camp and the first 14 games while nursing sciatica on his right side. Following the Lakers’ loss to Houston on Christmas, Reaves missed 19 consecutive games with a strained left calf. Nonetheless, the Lakers have gone 11-7 with Dončić , James and Reaves on the floor.
“We’re starting to get it,” Redick said. “There is a clear pecking order when Luka and AR are on the floor together with guys that are low usages players. That’s the nature of it. That’s just the nature of every Big 3 that’s ever existed. We’re going to get there. I think we’ve seen some positive signs. I think LeBron recognizes the importance of having Luka as the engine. All he really wants is to impact winning. We’re going to get there.”
Mark Medina is an NBA contributor for Sportsnaut. Follow him on X, Blue Sky, Instagram, Facebook and Threads.
