LeBron James on Lakers’ absence: ‘If it was up to me, I probably would have played’ | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was initially hesitant to take time off to treat his ongoing foot injury.

“If it was up to me, I probably would have played,” he told reporters after Sunday’s 116-110 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. “It would have been hard to stop me. I have a team and I have to listen to them too. They have my best interests at heart.”

James had 18 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, one steal and two blocks against Memphis.

At the start of the season, the four-time MVP set a goal of appearing in all 82 games of the Lakers’ regular season. That was a lofty goal for a player who turns 40 this month, and head coach JJ Redick pushed it back a bit back in early December.

“I don’t know that it’s in his best interest or our best interest for him to do that, but if he’s good and he’s feeling good, then he should play,” Redick said after a 109-80 loss to Minnesota Timberwolves in December. 4. “But of course we want to do it as well as possible.”

Injuries have been a recurring problem for James during his tenure with the Lakers. The 2023–24 season marked the first time he made more than 70 appearances since signing with the team in 2019.

Los Angeles could at least expect LeBron to get close enough to his peak when healthy. Well, that may no longer be the case. His scoring average (22.8 points) is the lowest since his rookie year in 2003-04 and his field goal percentage has dropped from 54.0 to 49.2.

After Sunday’s game, James admitted his foot pain “isn’t over yet” and has “been going on for a few years.”

Sometimes it’s a serious injury that hastens the decline of a legendary player. However, even the biggest stars often experience an accumulation of smaller bumps that become increasingly difficult to overcome.

Over the last decade, fans have heard James and his coaches express a desire to reduce his minutes and overall workload. This idea is ultimately rejected because he is simply too valuable on the pitch.

Now, even for the 20-time All-Star, it’s impossible to ignore the need to rest for extended periods of time.

But with the Lakers sitting 14-12 and 10th in the Western Conference, balancing James’ health and their desire to make the playoffs will be a challenge.