LeBron James and JJ Redick
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LeBron James and JJ Redick during a game against the Charlotte Hornets in January 2025
NBA icon LeBron James continues to play through injuries and other issues in hopes of raising the Los Angeles Lakers’ chances of playoff contention. Many fans expected James to miss Friday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers due to a knee injury dropping him to a questionable tag before the game. LeBron battled through the pain, but head coach JJ Redick revealed he also had a strong migraine headache all day.
Redick praised his superstar for putting on a strong performance and playing through the pain:
“He fought through a lot today. I mean, the knee soreness, he probably doesn’t want me to share, but he was dealing with a migraine as well pregame. Again, he rings the bell over and over. It’s what he does.”
James delivered 13 points and 11 assists for the Lakers in their three-point victory over the rival Clippers. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves carried the scoring efforts for the Lakers with 38 points and 28 points respectively. Redick still felt it was important to show appreciation for his 41-year-old All-Star leaving it all on the court. A player of LeBron’s stature could have easily taken the off night, but he cared about getting the win.
LeBron Appears Ready For Lakers Next Game
The questionable tag for Friday’s game and Redick referencing the knee soreness could strike fear in Lakers fans over James potentially missing a game. However, the Lakers have not added him to the injury report. A big game on Sunday hosting the Boston Celtics should see LeBron in the starting lineup.
NBC’s initiative to make Sunday night’s prime time games a big deal, similar to the NFL schedule, will see the Lakers and Celtics face off on the national stage. Boston is still missing Jayson Tatum, despite growing rumors of his return coming sooner than later.
The Lakers have no excuse to lose the home game with James, Doncic, and Reaves each active with a full two days of rest. LeBron has talked in depth about taking in all the regular season has to offer since he’s aware of his NBA career reaching an end within the next few years.
Should Lakers Worry About LeBron’s Health?
The importance of an injury grows stronger if an older player is playing through it since the risks only increase. James has been one of the most durable players in NBA history to earn the trust of Redick and other important minds in the Lakers organization.
Reports of LeBron spending tens of millions of dollars on his body to prolong his health will make it easier to let him play through soreness. The Lakers can’t afford another serious injury to James, Reaves, or Doncic ahead of the playoffs.
However, they also need to keep securing victories since it’s quite easy to fall into the play-in seeds. The Lakers only have a two-game lead over the seventh place Phoenix Suns and are just one game behind the Denver Nuggets for third place. Every game truly matters for seeding in the West, and LeBron will play through soreness to help the Lakers win games in this tight race.