According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Lakers star LeBron James is expected to miss Wednesday?s game vs. Portland, and could be out a few more games due to irritation in left knee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Sides want to be cautious and allow James to return once irritation subsides.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 1, 2022
This will be LeBron's fourth straight game on the sidelines as he continues to deal with swelling in his left knee.
There have been conflicting reports regarding a timeline for James' return, but as Charania notes, the possibility remains for a further extended absence as the team proceeds with an abundance of caution.
At age 37, The King has shown no signs of slowing down, averaging 29.1 PPG (tied for second in NBA), 7.7 RPG, and 6.3 APG. However, he has missed extensive action this season due to injury, appearing in just 36 of a possible 51 games.
LA has lost its past three games, the latest a 129-121 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks this past Sunday. Malik Monk led the Lakers with 33 points, Anthony Davis poured in 27, while Russell Westbrook fell three rebounds shy of a triple-double. All three players will continue to see a significant bump in usage for as long as James remains sidelined and can be safely deployed in Wednesday DFS contests.
You can find the latest betting lines for Lakers versus Hawks tomorrow on FanDuel Sportsbook.