The fate of the Lakers will be in Luka Doncic’s hands for the foreseeable future after LeBron James suffered a groin injury in the team’s loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday. James still managed 34 minutes before heading to the locker room in the fourth quarter, but it’s clear now the team will be without him for their upcoming stretch.
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The Celtics were able to put an end to Los Angeles’ impressive eight-game winning streak. Jayson Tatum led Boston to a relatively easy rout over L.A. after a back-and-forth first half, but the result of the contest immediately became an afterthought, considering the unknown severity of LeBron’s injury at the time.
After it was undetermined how long James would be sidelined last night, Shams Charania recently provided a clearer timeline for his return.
It was originally feared the 40-year-old would miss closer to a month with the tricky injury, but Charania provided a more optimistic 1-to-2-week recovery timetable.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is expected to miss at least 1-to-2 weeks with a groin strain, sources tell ESPN. James will wait for the groin injury to calm down over the next 24 hours and receive another evaluation. pic.twitter.com/17mWxsaXN3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 9, 2025
Considering the Lakers’ unexpectedly comfortable standing in the Western Conference, the biggest priority for most fans is seeing the King recover in time for a playoff run.
At 40-22 and third in the West, L.A. is a near-postseason lock with only a few weeks remaining, so fans aren’t clamoring for James to return sooner than needed.
“Rest up for the playoffs,” one fan insisted to James on X.
“After Lebron James’ injury it’s time to see what Luka Doncic is made of…” another provided a different outlook on the injury.
“Only 1-2 weeks… lets gooooooo,” a third added, seemingly expecting a much direr report.
At LeBron’s age, any injury that doesn’t result in a long-term absence has to be viewed in a positive light. The 21-time All-Star has persevered through numerous mental and physical obstacles throughout his career, but at this stage, he’s one serious injury away from being forced into an earlier retirement than he would have liked.
With LeBron James’ health for the playoffs now the Lakers’ top priority, Doncic will have the opportunity to prove why he can be L.A.’s next franchise player.
He already proved his worth several times over with the Dallas Mavericks, but now Luka will once again have a chance to operate as his team’s lone star.
The Lakers’ playoff berth appears safe for now, but the Western Conference remains hotly contested. Doncic will need to return to superstar form sooner rather than later if Los Angeles hopes to avoid the possibility of slipping out of home-court advantage or even into a play-in spot.
