The Los Angeles Lakers suffered their first loss since February 20 on Saturday night against the Boston Celtics. However, when the final buzzer sounded, the 111-101 result was far from the team's biggest concern.
While the Lakers were in the midst of a late fourth-quarter surge, LeBron James was forced to leave the game while holding the inside of his leg. It was revealed shortly after that he had suffered a groin injury, which immediately left fans thinking back to the 2018-19 season.
James did not return against the Celtics, and after the game he addressed the injury while referencing the Christmas Day setback suffered in 2018.
The Lakers star told reporters that his mind "immediately" went to that Christmas Day game, but stated he does not believe this injury is as bad, as The Athletic's Jovan Buha revealed.
LeBron James on his groin injury during the Lakers' loss to the Celtics: pic.twitter.com/uDxR0LxqP5
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) March 9, 2025
"The first thing that popped into my mind was Christmas Day my first year with the Lakers," James said. "... I've been there before and I know what type of injury we're dealing with."
"No, it's not as bad as [the Christmas Day injury," James answered when asked about the two setbacks.
James missed 17 games following his previous groin injury, which ultimately derailed the Lakers' season. Los Angeles was 20-14 entering that game, and when James returned, they were 26-25.
While the comments from James are reason for optimism surrounding his timeline, the reports immediately after the game remain a cause for concern.
As ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported, the "initial thought" is that James will be sidelined for "a matter of weeks, not a matter of days."
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This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 8:59 PM.