Lakers' LeBron James Foot Injury Imaging Showed 'Normal Wear and Tear'

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without star LeBron James for Thursday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks because of a foot injury.

Prior to the game, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham told reporters imaging on the foot showed "normal wear and tear," and not a new or serious injury, per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

James has missed games at times this season with ankle and groin injuries, but he has largely avoided long-term setbacks and remained fairly durable at 38 years old.

That durability is a defining trait of his legacy at this point, as he remains among the best players in the league even at his age in his 20th season. His presence has been even more important for the Lakers this season because Anthony Davis has missed time with health concerns.

James is averaging 30.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 31.5 percent from deep in 2022-23.

While the Lakers can rely more on Davis as the primary option if the King is sidelined, they don't have someone who can replicate the legend's impact on a nightly basis. It will instead be more of a group effort to help the team stay afloat until he is ready to return.

But facing one of the best teams in the league in the Bucks without him will be a daunting task.