Lakers’ LeBron James misses 1st game, ‘day to day’ with shin/calf injury – Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES — Lakers forward LeBron James didn’t play in Sunday’s home game vs. the Portland Trail Blazers, his first injury absence of the season, but coach Darvin Ham doesn’t believe the ailment is “major”.

James was originally listed on the injury report as questionable before being ruled out for Sunday’s game because of a left calf contusion he suffered in Friday’s road win over the Phoenix Suns.

He came up limping after getting fouled in the first quarter, grabbing at his lower left leg after Kevin Durant’s knee hit his shin on a spin move.

James got some medical treatment on the bench before returning for the start of the second quarter, playing 36 minutes.

“Just being proactive,” Ham said pregame of James’ missing Sunday’s game. “No reason to run him in the ground this early. But it’s an opportunity where he can get some treatment and not force it.”

Ham added: “It’s a sensitive area on his lower extremities. Having the time to have him sit out and manage that and try to get him ready for the next stretch of games beyond this one became the top priority.”

The 38-year-old star looked fine the rest of the evening, helping orchestrate the comeback victory.

He finished with 32 points (11 for 17 from the field, 3 for 4 from 3-point range), 11 rebounds and six assists.

“It never loosened up,” James said on Friday. “I was driving, and awkwardly KD’s knee, with the force I was going, went right to my shin. Which pretty much locked up right then and there and shot down to my foot. So I tried to keep my composure, make sure I was OK, and try to keep it stretched out and as loose as possible and play the game and be effective.

“Pretty sore right now. Obviously, because the adrenaline is calming down and iced it and all that stuff. Now it’s pretty sore but that’s what happened.”