LOS ANGELES — Lakers star LeBron James missed his first game of the season Sunday night against the Portland Trail Blazers because of left foot soreness.
James, 39, first experienced the discomfort during L.A.’s loss at the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
On Friday, James played a season-high 43 minutes in an overtime loss at the Atlanta Hawks, finishing with 39 points on 14-for-25 shooting, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.
On the season, James is averaging 23 points on 49.5% shooting (35.9% from 3), 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds — by far the most production of any player in NBA history who has reached the same stage in a career as James has.
James came into Sunday listed as doubtful because of the injury and was then upgraded to probable in the morning, before being downgraded back to doubtful after the team walk-through a couple of hours before tipoff.
“With LeBron out, we’re going to have to move, we’re going to have to cut, we’re going to have to pass,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before Sunday’s 107-98 win. “We’re going to have to play in transition. And I think overall for our team, just getting back to really emphasize trying to get a paint touch on every possession. We were doing that earlier in the year and have gotten away from that and need to get back to that.”
L.A. won’t play again until Friday, at the Minnesota Timberwolves, and won’t even practice until Wednesday. Redick said the break could be beneficial to the 22-year veteran James.
“You don’t want him out of the lineup, that’s for sure, but he has an opportunity to get four days’ rest before we practice again,” Redick said. “So, it could be really good for him.”
Lakers guard Austin Reaves also didn’t play on Sunday, missing a fifth straight game because of a left pelvic contusion.
