Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is questionable for Sunday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers with a left calf contusion while Anthony Davis is probable with left hip/adductor spasms. Jaxson Hayes is also probable with a left ankle sprain while Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent and Jalen Hood-Schifino remain out.
James injured his calf/shin area during Friday night’s win over the Phoenix Suns, bumping legs with Kevin Durant early in the first quarter.
While he was able to finish the game, he admitted that it never loosened up and he felt sore, so it’s not surprising to see he is now listed as questionable.
“It never loosened up,” James said. “But I was driving and awkwardly, KD’s knee, the force of that went right into my shin, which pretty much just locked up right then and there. Shot down to my foot so I just tried to obviously keep my composure and make sure everything was OK and tried to keep it stretched out as much as possible, tried to keep it as loose as possible so I could play the game and be effective. So pretty sore right now obviously because the adrenaline is calming down. I’ve iced it and all that stuff so now it’s pretty sore but that’s what happened on the play.”
Even though it doesn’t seem to be anything serious, this will definitely be something to monitor leading up to the Sunday’s game where James will likely be a game-time decision.
Meanwhile, Davis missed one game of action with his hip injury before returning against the Suns. He didn’t have his best game but seemed to be feeling better as it went on.
“It took some time to kind of get into the game just with the shots and stuff, kind of just trying not to aggravate it,” Davis said. “But as the game kind of got going, I just stopped thinking about it and started playing. Felt it a couple times throughout the course of the game, but for the most part, it felt good.”
It seems likely that Davis will play and given how many injuries the Trail Blazers are dealing with themselves, the Lakers still should be able to find a way to win even if James is unable to go.
In-Season Tournament Western Conference Group A standings
The Lakers’ win on Friday night was a big one as it was their first game of the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament.
L.A. was placed in Group A of the Western Conference and the full standings after the first week of games can be viewed here.
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