Oct 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) on the court before the start of the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
LeBron James has officially been ruled out for Saturday night’s NBA game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks. The 41-year-old superstar is being held out to manage his low back/sciatica, according to the official injury report, marking his first absence since joining Philadelphia.
LeBron is out Saturday against the Bucks. https://t.co/FKlTjUo40j
— FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) October 24, 2026
The timing comes as the 76ers begin their first back-to-back of the 2026-27 season. Philadelphia defeated the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers in its first two games and enters Saturday night with a 2-0 record.
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LeBron James will miss first game with 76ers
NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers
Oct 22, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) and Tyrese Maxey celebrate after a score against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
James was initially listed as questionable before Philadelphia downgraded him to out Saturday afternoon. The designation is officially tied to management of his lower back and sciatica rather than a newly announced major injury.
The decision is not entirely unexpected. James had already indicated that Philadelphia would need to carefully manage his workload during the season, particularly when the schedule creates back-to-back situations. He played 33.5 minutes per game across Philadelphia’s first two contests.
James has made an immediate impact since joining the 76ers. He is averaging 15.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists through his first two games, including a 17-point, 10-rebound, five-assist performance in Thursday’s comeback victory over Cleveland.
The 76ers overcame a 29-point deficit against the Cavaliers, making James’ absence Saturday a notable change for a team that has started the season undefeated.
76ers will rely on Embiid, Maxey and Brown
NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid (21) LeBron James (23) Jaylen Brown (7) Tyrese Maxey (0) Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
With James unavailable, Philadelphia will have to redistribute his minutes and offensive responsibilities against Milwaukee. Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown figure to take on larger roles, while Joel Embiid is expected to be available Saturday after not appearing on the injury report.
Embiid has also discussed workload management and previously indicated that he would play only one game of Philadelphia’s weekend back-to-back. His apparent availability Saturday suggests James and Embiid could be staggered rather than rested together.
The matchup also gives Philadelphia an opportunity to test its depth. The Bucks enter Saturday at 0-2 and are playing on the second night of their own back-to-back after facing Chicago on Friday.
For Philadelphia, however, the bigger story is James’ availability over the long term. The 76ers made a major commitment to their veteran core this season, and keeping James healthy for the postseason will be more important than having him available for every regular-season game.
Saturday therefore represents the first significant example of Philadelphia prioritizing James’ long-term health over immediate availability.
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