Driving to the basket against Denver Nuggets forward Jerami Grant in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers tweaked his ankle against the defender, falling hard to the ground midway through the second quarter.
Though he was able to continue playing, James carried a noticeable grimace for the duration of the match, leading many to worry that swelling of the injury postgame, might lead the former MVP having to operate with limited availability in Game 2 of the series on Sunday night.
Talking with reporters during his media availability this afternoon, head coach Frank Vogel, allayed those concerns (via Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports).
“He should be good to go tomorrow.” Lakers coach Frank Vogel on LeBron James’ ankle which he rolled in Game 1. pic.twitter.com/RdMCatXOED
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) September 19, 2020
Playing in his 16th NBA season, the 35-year-old James entered the postseason having totaled over 10,000 playoff minutes thus far—easily the most all-time—leading to concerns over his durability over another potential Finals run.
While largely avoiding significant injuries over the course of his career, James did miss five weeks last season due to a pulled groin, the longest stretch of time he's ever missed. Operating with limited depth, the Lakers struggled to produce without the sidelined James, leading to the eventual firing of former head coach Luke Walton, as well as the reorganizing of the franchise, and the addition of Anthony Davis.
Though Los Angeles has experienced a much more successful season, they similarly work with limited depth, and once again have proven vulnerable in those minutes James is off the court. Playing against a team in the Nuggets who feast off the perimeter, LeBron's ability to defend the Nuggets' wings has been considered a key part of the Lakers' potential success. That he will be able to play in Game 2 is a potential catastrophe averted for Vogel and his squad.
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