LeBron James suffered a tendon injury in his right foot against the Dallas Mavericks last weekend and will be reevaluated in about three weeks, the Los Angeles Lakers announced Thursday.
The announcement came after James returned to L.A. and was examined by team medical staff and physicians.
The Lakers are 1-1 since the win over the Mavs without James, losing to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday but finishing their three-game road trip with a 123-117 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
James, 38, was hurt in Sunday’s win at Dallas following a drive on Dwight Powell in the third quarter. James could be heard on the broadcast telling the Lakers bench, “I heard a pop,” after he tumbled to the floor, and he was walking with a noticeable limp following the game.
James told ESPN’s Katie George during an on-court interview after the game that he thought he stepped on Powell’s foot, causing the discomfort; however, replays showed it was a noncontact injury.
The Lakers are currently one game out of the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, representing the final play-in spot, with 20 games remaining in the regular season.
L.A. hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. Point guard D’Angelo Russell told ESPN that he will miss the Wolves game because of his sprained right ankle.