LeBron’S Injury Update: Former NBA Champion Reveals Lakers’ Real Plan

The Los Angeles Lakers have had a terrible start to their bubble campaign, mostly due to LeBron’s injury. After winning just two out of their first four games, LeBron James couldn’t play in the 5th game against the Rockets due to sore right groin. James sat out the game and watched his team fall to the Rockets, on yet another poor shooting night.

LeBron’s Injury Explained

During his appearance on ESPN’s First Take, former NBA champion Matt Barnes comforted the Lakers fans. According to him, a real groin injury takes a long time, so this is just rest.

“What most people have to understand is, groin injury is not: you sit out one game and it feels better,” Barnes said on LeBron’s injury speculations. A real groin injury takes a long time. So I’m not necessarily saying this is a groin injury. I think this is just going to be rest, knowing that the Lakers have necessarily figured out this bubble situation yet.”

Smart Move – Rest Now, Smash Later?

Barnes said that the Lakers will rely heavily on LeBron in the playoffs. So for that, they have to keep him fit and ready. He said, “So they know one thing for certain: LeBron’s gonna have to be superhuman like he’s always been. He’s going to be playing 43-45 minutes a night. Now is the time to get rest. Once those playoffs start soon there’s going to be absolutely no rest for Bron.”

In the 239 playoff games that he has played, LeBron averages 42 minutes each night. He needs sufficient rest in order to maintain that quality. During crucial times, like elimination games, he has been playing every single minute. He may be a lot more fitter than anyone else, but he’s not getting any younger and that will take a toll on his body.

So the Lakers will make sure they use his playing time wisely. He may only end up playing one, at the most two out of the remaining three games the Lakers have left before the playoffs begin.

Tonight, they face off against the Indiana Pacers who are led by the most inform man in the bubble, T.J. Warren. This means that the Lakers will have to stay cautious and improve their performance if they want to get out of their slump.