LeBron James Says He 'Dodged a Bullet' After Suffering Groin Injury vs. Warriors

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James spoke for many fans when he commented on the groin strain he suffered in Tuesday's 127-101 win over the Golden State Warriors.

James tweeted Wednesday that he "dodged a bullet":

James exited in the third quarter and was limited to 21 minutes in the victory. He told reporters after the game he felt a pop in his groin:

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Wednesday that an MRI on James "returned clean," indicating the injury wasn't significant. Instead, the 14-time All-Star is only day-to-day.

James' importance to the Lakers is obvious. Although Los Angeles successfully secured Tuesday's victory without him for much of the second half, he's integral to the team's playoff hopes. According to NBA.com, the Lakers have a 3.2 net rating per 100 possessions with James on the court, compared to a minus-1.9 net rating when he goes to the bench.

Los Angeles returns to the court Thursday against the Sacramento Kings on the road for the first half of a back-to-back. The Lakers likely won't want James to play two games in as many days so soon after getting hurt. Holding him out until at least Sunday's home game with the Kings might make the most sense to avoid reaggravating the groin injury.