MEMPHIS, Tenn. — LeBron James will miss Tuesday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies with a sore right foot, the Los Angeles Lakers announced, an injury he suffered in Sunday’s win over the Dallas Mavericks.
James, 38, was walking with a noticeable limp following the Mavs game. He fell to the floor in pain late in the third quarter after driving on Dallas’ Dwight Powell. He 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.
James finished the game, scoring 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, and L.A. won its third game in a row to pull within a game of the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference, which represents the final play-in spot, and 2½ games behind Dallas for No. 6.
Over All-Star Weekend, James dubbed the final stretch of the Lakers’ season “23 of the most important games” of his career. However, it appears he won’t be fully healthy as he tries to get L.A. back in the postseason.
James missed three consecutive games prior to the All-Star break with left foot and ankle soreness and now is managing the right foot soreness.
The Lakers also announced that starting point guard D’Angelo Russell is doubtful for the Memphis game, as well. Russell missed the Mavs game with a right ankle sprain.
L.A. finishes its three-game road trip with the second night of a back-to-back against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday before returning home to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.