The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics both participated in a long -awaited match on Saturday in second place in their respective conferences.
Lakers have increased in the weeks since the team acquired Luka Doncic. But Boston survived Los Angeles on Saturday and finally celebrated a 111-101 victory. An injury forced LeBron James to leave the match in the fourth quarter.
Although James did not provide a calendar for his return to court, he tried to relieve concerns about the seriousness of the injury.
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LeBron James des Los Angeles Lakers in the match against the Celtics on March 8, 2025, at Boston TD Garden. (Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE via Getty Images)
“Not much,” said James. “Obviously, I’m day by day. I’m going to watch it every day and see if it’s better, and take the appropriate measures to see what I have to do to go ahead.”
ESPN indicated that a stretch groin could put James’ touch for up to two weeks.
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James was not returned to the court after a waiting period with 6:44 minutes to do after having disputed a lay-up by Jaylen Brown. The all-star of the NBA 21 times has been seen by walking with caution towards the group, then barely moved before heading to the locker room with coaches.
James finished the match with 22 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.
The Los Angeles Lakers striker LeBron James defends the Ballon of the Celton Payton Pritchard goalkeeper, Saturday March 8, 2025, in Boston. (AP photo / Mark Stockwell)
He said that his first thoughts had gone to his first season in Los Angeles in 2018 when he suffered a groin injury in a Christmas match against the Golden State Warriors. He missed the following 17 games and the injury disturbed him during most of the rest of the season.
“I have already been there and I know what type of injury we are dealing with,” said James. He seems convinced that his last injury is not as serious as that of 2018.
LeBron James des Lakers during the match against the San Antonio Spurs on January 13, 2025, in Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. (Adam Pantozzi / NBAE via Getty Images)
He also said he was thinking of former teammate Anthony Davis, who had suffered his current groin injury in his first match with the Dallas Mavericks following his business for Dononic.
“It’s crazy. But I thought of Ad,” said James.
Doncic just wants James to do the injury the rest he needs. “Obviously, he must take his time,” said Donic. “These injuries, I will not say, are the worst, but they are difficult to manage.”
The Lakers’ defeat against the Celtics ended the sequence of victories of eight Los Angeles games. The defeat also briefly left them in third place in the classification of the Western Conference. But, returned to second place after Oklahoma City Thunder beat Denver Nuggets on Sunday afternoon.
