Lakers' LeBron James Out vs. Spurs with Knee Injury, Has 'Significant' Soreness

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel told reporters star LeBron James will miss Monday's game against the San Antonio Spurs because of "significant" left knee soreness.

"His health takes precedence over any matchup, over any one game, for sure," Vogel said.

James already missed time earlier this season with knee and abdominal injuries, and any physical setback is sure to cause worry because of his overall importance to the team and the fact that he is 37 years old.

While Los Angeles has struggled to find consistency this season despite championship expectations, James has again been a dominant playmaker on the court and is averaging 29.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.

His resume stacks up among the all-time greats, as he has four championships, four NBA Finals MVPs, four league MVPs and 17 All-NBA selections. He is the main reason the Lakers still have some hopes for the campaign even though they have not played anywhere near the level of the league's best teams.

Los Angeles will likely rely even more on Russell Westbrook to carry the offense while James is sidelined, while Talen Horton-Tucker and Avery Bradley will see more playing time.