LeBron James will have to wait a little longer than expected to play a game for the Los Angeles Lakers, as he nurses an injury known as sciatica.
NBA superstar LeBron James is starting to feel the effects of Father Time as he is expected to miss several games with the Los Angeles Lakers as he deals with sciatica.
The 40-year-old James is expected to be sidelined at least until the end of October, delaying his record-breaking 23rd season, according to reports.
Sciatica is described as pain in the nerves running from the buttocks and down the back of the legs, which James is suffering from on his right side.
According to a report published on NBA.com, James has yet to participate in a full practice with the Lakers since they opened their training camp last week, with head coach JJ Redick saying that James is “on his own timeline”.
Lengthy absence
The Lakers said that James is likely to miss at least the first five or six games of the team, and possibly “several more” because of the injury.
Los Angeles opens its regular season at home on October 21, when the Lakers face the Golden State Warriors.
Despite not playing in the preseason, James reportedly traveled with the team, performing individual drills and doing his own workouts.
The Lakers are currently 0-2 in the preseason.
They play the Warriors again on Sunday, October 12 (Monday, October 13 in Manila) for their third match of the preseason.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.