LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James is sitting out the Los Angeles Lakers ' game against Indiana on Saturday to rest his sore left ankle.
The Lakers announced the decision about four hours before they hosted the Pacers.
The 40-year-old James has been outstanding in recent weeks for the Lakers (30-19), who have won four straight and 10 of 12 despite trading center Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic last weekend. Although dealing with regular ankle pain, James hadn’t missed a game since Dec. 28 against Sacramento, and he has missed only four games this season.
Doncic also is missing the game against Indiana while he finishes his recovery from straining his left calf on Christmas. The Slovenian superstar has participated in practice with his new team this week, and he is expected to make his Lakers debut Monday against Utah.
“LeBron, just a little bit of increased soreness on that foot after the other night,” coach JJ Redick said before the game. “Luka is progressing well, but we’ll make that decision in real time on Monday.”
James is averaging 29.0 points, 9.9 assists and 8.4 rebounds over the past seven games. He became the oldest player in NBA history to score 40 points when he dropped 42 in a win over Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.
Amid speculation about the Lakers' ability to mesh James and Doncic on their roster, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle is eager to watch from afar to see how they make it work. Carlisle was Doncic's coach for his first three NBA seasons with the Dallas Mavericks from 2018-21.
“I don't see any world in which it doesn't work great,” Carlisle said. “(Doncic) goes into a game and just decides how the game is going to be played. LeBron James does the same exact thing. These two guys are surgeons, the way they dissect games, and they're really both impossible to game-plan for. You have to decide how you're willing to lose. That's what it comes down to. This is the Lakers. This is a larger-than-life legacy franchise, so this is an amazing opportunity for Luka.”
James is a record 21-time All-Star selection who was chosen first overall in the team draft for the competition in San Francisco next weekend. The Lakers have two more games before All-Star weekend, playing a home-and-home set with Utah.
Mark Williams, the center acquired by the Lakers from Charlotte this week, also was ruled out against the Pacers because the trade was still pending on Saturday morning.
Redick said he hopes to have James, Doncic and Williams in the Lakers' lineup Monday.
“I don't know why we wouldn't,” Redick said. “We're not trying to hold guys out.”
Pacers big man Myles Turner also sat out with a head injury, although Carlisle said he wasn't in the concussion protocol.
“He's done better each of the last two days,” Carlisle said. “Today wasn't in the cards.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Greg Beacham, The Associated Press
