The superstar’s elbow struck Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis solidly in the shoulder area as he sought to call a charging foul on Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Unsettling Injury Reports for LeBron James and Anthony Davis
Davis said that he “couldn’t really move” his shoulder following the play. It is obvious where he was injured because of the structure of his chest. But the Lakers wanted to ascertain the extent of his injuries and, consequently, the timetable for recovery.
Known for his propensity for injuries, he is back to playing at least 60 games after being dealt to Los Angeles in the summer of 2019. He hasn’t done it since 2019–20.
For the duration of his Lakers career, Davis’ play has been criticized almost as much as his availability. Nevertheless, with an average of 24.7 points and 2.4 blocks per game this season, Davis is among the best two-way players in the league. Thus, he is almost as crucial to Los Angeles’s chances of making the playoffs as the other player on their injury report.
LeBron James Experiencing ‘Severe Soreness’
LeBron James missed Friday’s game against the Bucks due to “severe (left ankle) soreness,” according to Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group. James’ ailment has also been referred to as “wear and tear,” even though head coach Darvin Ham would only grade it as “day-to-day” (h/t ESPN’s Dave McMenamin).
A Troubling History
Rewind to March of 2021. Due to a severe right ankle injury in late March, James was sidelined indefinitely. This was James’ first severe ankle injury, occurring just a year after his first major ailment—a groin strain that caused him to miss a then-career-high 17 straight games. He would miss the most games of his career—20 in a row—due to the ankle sprain.
James would declare, “I don’t think I will ever get back to 100%,” when he would return to the basketball court.
Though James has never been regarded as an oracle, on that particular day he made a precise prediction. James sprained his left ankle in March 2022 after stepping on the foot of Jaxson Hayes, the center for the New Orleans Pelicans at the time. A week later, James’ left ankle became sore, and he missed the remainder of the 2022–2023 season with the Lakers out of the running for the playoffs.
After suffering another left ankle injury a year later, James was unable to play in Los Angeles’ opening game following the 2024 All-Star Weekend. The injury was concerning even in isolation, particularly for a 39-year-old who has participated in 1,759 games in his career. It’s considerably more concerning, if not scary, given his history of ankle issues.
However, there is currently no timeframe for his recuperation. James’s description as “day-to-day” is really more of an admission that his feelings about playing with his ankle will depend more on the circumstances than anything else.
James remarked, “Some games are better than others,” following the Lakers’ Thursday loss to the Sacramento Kings. “On Monday, I felt nothing at all against OKC.” And it wasn’t until tonight’s fourth quarter that I noticed anything. Thus, every game and every day are unique.
