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Dave McMenamin, ESPN Staff Writer
LeBron James will miss the Los Angeles Lakers‘ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday because of tendinitis in his left ankle, the team announced.
It is the second time in the past two weeks that James has sat out the second leg of a back-to-back, also resting for Los Angeles’ 122-119 road victory against the San Antonio Spurs.
The Lakers lost to the Chicago Bulls 124-108 on Wednesday, with James posting 25 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in 37 minutes.
It was the third straight loss for the Lakers, who fell to just 1-4 since their in-season tournament championship win in Las Vegas.
James acknowledged after the game how taxing the stretch has been.
“It’s a combination of everything,” James said. “I mean, it’s the emotional fatigue, it’s the physical fatigue, it’s the grind-of-the-season fatigue. And when you’re not winning, obviously, that’s the frustration fatigue. So, a little combination of everything.”
The Lakers also listed star big man Anthony Davis as questionable with a sprain and bone bruise in his left ankle. Davis tweaked the ankle in the third quarter against Chicago but was able to finish the game.
Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, who saw his first game action in seven weeks against Chicago, will be held out against the Wolves because of his left knee.
Minnesota has the best record in the Western Conference at 20-6 and will also be playing in the tail end of a back-to-back after losing to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
“There’s no break coming. No help coming. There’s no cavalry,” Davis said after the Bulls game when asked about the team’s recent struggles. “We’ve got to do it within this locker room. … We just got to find a way to get in the win column.”
The Lakers (15-13) are No. 8 in the West.