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Dave McMenamin, ESPN Staff Writer
LeBron James is doubtful for Tuesday’s road game against the Milwaukee Bucks because of soreness in his left ankle, the Los Angeles Lakers announced Monday.
James has been dealing with the ankle issue for months. The last game he missed because of it was, coincidentally, a Lakers win over Milwaukee on March 8.
L.A. started Spencer Dinwiddie in James’ place in that win over Milwaukee.
The 21-year veteran played 38 minutes in L.A.’s 150-145 win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, contributing 26 points and 10 assists.
The Bucks game is the start of a six-game road trip for the Lakers, who are No. 9 in the Western Conference with 11 games left to play.
Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell, who missed the Indiana game with a non-COVID illness, is not on the injury report against Milwaukee.
“We know where we are right now,” James said after the Pacers game. “Just continue trying to play some good basketball. That’s a very testy road trip for us. It’s very rare — I can’t remember in my career where I’ve had such a late East Coast road trip, or vice versa when I was in the East going to the West so late in the season, so that’s challenging.
“But we’re looking forward to it.”
L.A. is currently 3 games behind the Phoenix Suns for the No. 6 spot in the conference, which it would need to secure to avoid the play-in tournament. The Lakers are 2.5 games ahead of the No. 10 seed Golden State Warriors.