MANILA – Already without star forward Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered another blow midway in the 2020-2021 National Basketball Association (NBA) season after LeBron James went down with a high right ankle sprain injury.
James will be indefinitely out after sustaining the injury in the Lakers’ 99-94 defeat to Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night (Sunday in the Philippines) at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
“Nothing angers and saddens me more than not being available to and for my teammates! I’m hurt inside and out right now. The road back from recovery begins now. Back soon like I never left. #ThekidfromAKRON,” James wrote on his Twitter account.
The 36-year-old forward exited in the second period after he rolled on the ground and clutched at his ankle following an awkward contact with Hawks’ forward Solomon Hill in a loose-ball play.
James – one of the leading contenders for the season’s Most Valuable Player – finished the match with 10 points after converting a triple, following his injury just to extend his NBA-record streak of games with at least 10 points to 1,036.
The Hawks took advantage of James’ absence from the Lakers in the second half as it surged to a 64-55 start in the third quarter behind conversions from John Collins, Trae Young, and Danilo Gallinari.
Atlanta went on to build its largest lead at 87-73 following a triple by Hill but Los Angeles made its last push to come to 92-97 before Young sealed the win for the Hawks with two free throws.
Collins tallied double-double 27 points and season-best 16 rebounds, as Young chipped in 14 points and 11 assists as the Hawks recorded its eighth straight triumph for a 22-20 slate.
Montrezl Harrell had double-double 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Dennis Schroder contributed 16 points and seven assists for the Lakers, which dropped to 28-14 after the defeat.
In other results, Philadelphia 76ers (29-13) stayed on top in the East with a 123-105 victory over Sacramento Kings (17-25), while Memphis Grizzlies (19-20) edged Golden State Warriors (22-21), 111-103.
BOX SCORE:
ATLANTA 99 – Collins 27, Gallinari 18, Young 14, Bogdanovic 10, Hill 9, Capela 8, Huerter 8, Snell 3, Rondo 2, Okongwu 0, Knight 0.
LOS ANGELES 94 – Harrell 23, Schroder 16, Morris 12, James 10, Matthews 9, Horton-Tucker 9, Kuzma 8, Jones 4, Caruso 3, Caldwell-Pope 0, McKinnie 0.
Quarterscores: 28-25, 52-53, 74-65, 99-94./PN
