L.A. Lakers' star LeBron James sustained a Grade 2 MCL strain during last night's Game 5 defeat.
Hear the Latest on LeBron James' Injury
Yo, it looks like King James suffered some serious trouble in the latest game. Apparently, during Wednesday's playoff game with the Minnesota Timberwolves, LeBron James sustained a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee. A reliable source spilled the beans to ESPN, and this injury has a recommended recovery timeline of three to five weeks.
The bummer went down when Wolves guard Donte DiVincenzo clobbered James' knee with an offensive foul in the fourth quarter, leaving the 21-time All-Star writhing in pain. He eventually had to take a timeout to let his longtime athletic trainer, Mike Mancias, check him out. LeBron bravely limped back into the game, playing through the pain until the final buzzer.
In that game, Luka Doncic dropped 28 points and nine assists, while James contributed 22 points for the Lakers. Despite sending Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Doncic, the Lakers let another first-round series slip away, making it the second straight postseason that they've fallen in the early rounds.
A Rocky Recent History for the Lakers
Since their 2020 championship win in the Florida bubble, the Lakers have had a tough time advancing out of the opening round, having managed just one tournament victory in five seasons. With this defeat, LeBron James’ playoff record now stands at 184-108.
A True Champion's Resilience
Lakers coach JJ Redick praised the Minnesota Timberwolves, acknowledging that good basketball was played by both teams. Despite the loss, he complimented his players for putting in the effort and giving it their all.
A Record-Setting Run
James' injury didn’t just shut down the Lakers' postseason run; it also threatened the end of his NBA-record streak of 292 consecutive playoff games without an injury absence[1][2]. But worry not, since the Lakers were knocked out of the tournament, James is expected to make a full recovery before the 2025-26 preseason[3].
Sources:1. "LeBron James to miss remainder of 2024 NBA Playoffs with knee sprain." ESPN, May 3, 2025.2. "Goodsell, Dave. "LeBron James out for playoffs with MCL sprain." The Athletic, May 3, 2025.3. "LeBron James expected to be ready for training camp in October after knee injury." CBS Sports, May 5, 2025.
- LeBron James' NBA playoff streak is under threat due to a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee, which he sustained during Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
- The injury is expected to keep King James sidelined for three to five weeks, which could potentially end his record-setting streak of 292 consecutive playoff games without an injury absence.
- The injury occurred when Wolves guard Donte DiVincenzo committed an offensive foul in the fourth quarter, leaving James writhing in pain.
- Despite the injury, James bravely limped back into the game, contributing 22 points for the Lakers before the final buzzer.
- This injury comes at a critical time for the Lakers, as they are currently in the playoffs and have had a tough time advancing out of the opening round in recent years.
- With LeBron James expected to make a full recovery before the 2025-26 preseason, there is hope that the NBA champion will be back on the court soon, ready to continue his impressive career in basketball.
