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LeBron James already in danger of ruining greatest streak in NBA history

Calling the longevity of LeBron James unrivaled and unprecedented may be one of the least controversial statements of all time. The best representation of that in his legendary career is easily his the 21 All-NBA Teams in a row that have featured the Los Angeles Lakers superstar.

That streak is officially in jeopardy of coming to an end in the 2025-26 NBA season. The sciatica injury James is dealing with is already set to end his run of being available for 22 straight regular season openers.

Depending on how long the injury recovery keeps him out in the early parts of the campaign, James' impressive run of All-NBA appearances may be the next streak to be toppled. That, of course, has to do with the NBA's 65-game rule.

There are certain end-of-season accolades that are locked out to players who do not meet the minimum of 65 games played in the regular season. The All-NBA Teams are among those distinctions. If James' recovery is not swift, the all-time great will have a tough time hitting that benchmark in 2025-26.

LeBron’s legendary All-NBA run is officially on shaky ground

There is a best-case scenario, and a worst-case scenario for LeBron when it comes to the timeline of his current injury. On the lower end of games missed, James could be looking at around eight games. The higher end? That could involve the Lakers superstar being back closer to December.

If that number climbs up to double figures to start the year, depending on how high that grows, that could mean James would be forced to play nearly every game after his return to have a chance at hitting 65 games played in 2025-26. That would be unwise.

In the grand scheme of the season, the Lakers, and even LeBron himself, should be much more concerned with winning an NBA championship. That does not happen without James being available and at his best for the postseason run.

That is why everyone applauded the caution in preseason that the Lakers were taking with their aging superstar even before the full severity of the injury had been known. Many had long been calling for James to consider some sort of load management, and that move felt like a prelude to that shift.

LeBron has been a cyborg throughout his NBA career, defying Father Time, and continuing to uphold a standard of individual excellence that is absurd. Losing the coveted All-NBA streak will be a tough blow.

With the current injury, that currently projects to be a matter of when, not if. For James, it would ultimately be a necessary sacrifice to continue prolonging his historic career.

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