LeBron James has not missed too many games in his NBA career, however the Los Angeles Lakers superstar was unable to feature in his team’s season opener, with James missing the Lakers’ home loss to the Golden State Warriors due to sciatica.
Although for longtime playoff opponent and fellow league veteran Draymond Green, there was at least something amusing about the sight of the 40 year old and four time MVP being seated in a high chair on the bench as he continues to recover.
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“Yeah, Bron’s old a** was over there in his Phil Jackson chair,” Green jokingly said after the game.
The four time NBA Champion with Golden State also made it clear that witnessing James be inactive for a game was something he wasn’t used to.
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“No, it’s always different when he’s not out there…Bron is Bron and the battles that we’ve had over the years, you look forward to those,” Green said. “He don’t miss many games let alone a season opener, so it’s really odd not seeing him out there.”
Oct 21, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
Green and James ran into each other in four consecutive NBA Finals from 2015-2018 during LeBron’s second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Green’s Warriors coming out on top in three out of four occasions.
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The Warriors star even found himself suspended for Game 5 of the 2016 Finals after he committed a flagrant foul on James in Game 4, and LeBron and the Cavs were then able to overturn a 3-1 series deficit to claim a historic championship.
With James however now entering his 23rd year in the league and being unavailable to start the season, while Green himself will turn 36 during the 2025-26 NBA campaign, there may not be a whole lot more opportunities for these two veterans to go head to head on the court.
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