The Lakers will have to lean on Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook early in the 2021-22 season as they move forward without the services of their best player.
Los Angeles star LeBron James is expected to miss at least one week of action with an abominal strain, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. The four-time NBA MVP had previously missed two of the Lakers' first eight games of the season before suffering the injury against the Rockets on Nov. 2.
What's next for James? Here's everything we know about his injury and the latest news on when he may return to the court.
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On their most recent injury report, the Lakers listed James as out with a rectus abdominis strain. That muscle group is "slung between the ribs and the pubic bone at the front of the pelvis," per BetterHealth.com, and its primary function is to "move the body between the ribcage and the pelvis."
An abdominal strain can cause sharp pains and result in difficulty stretching the muscle.
James is expected to miss 1-2 weeks, according to Charania, who reported on Nov. 4 that the Lakers are taking a cautious approach with his injury.
"If this were the playoffs, could James push to play? Possibly," Charania said. "But James suffered the injury in Tuesday's win over the Rockets, and the Lakers want to be careful and manage the injury during the marathon of this NBA season."
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If James misses one week, he'll miss four total games, including a nationally televised game against his former team, the Miami Heat.