LeBron James' status for the Los Angeles Lakers matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks is up in the air due to a lingering left ankle injury. The Lakers listed LeBron as doubtful for the first stop on the six-game road trip.

LeBron played 38 minutes in the high-octane win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. The 39-year-old tallied 26 points (8-of-19 shooting) and 10 assists as the Lakers scored 150 points in regulation for the first time since 1987.

Afterward, LeBron admitted feeling “exhausted” by Indiana's relentless offensive attack.

Before the game, he broke from his usual routine and got extra shots up about an hour before tip-off — perhaps to test out the ankle. LeBron is customarily listed as “questionable” on injury reports.

The Lakers also play Wednesday at the Memphis Grizzlies.

LeBron has missed nine games this season due to what has been described as left ankle peroneal tendinopathy — essentially, wear-and-tear soreness. He missed the last game before the All-Star break (Feb. 14) and the first game after (Feb. 22).

LeBron also sat out the Lakers' previous matchup with the Bucks, at Crypto.com Arena on March 8. Despite his absence — and huge box scores from Giannis (34 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists) and Damian Lillard (28 points, 12 assists), the Lakers pulled out a one-point win thanks to a heroic performance from D'Angelo Russell (44 points).

As with the torn right foot tendon LeBron played through for the second half of 2022-23, the ankle tendinopathy will only heal with rest in the offseason.

Russell sat out the Lakers' win over the Pacers with a non-COVID illness, but he's not listed on the injury report for the contest at Fiserv Forum. As usual, Anthony Davis is listed as probable with Achilles tendinopathy.

Jarred Vanderbilt (foot sprain), Gabe Vincent (knee surgery), and Christian Wood (knee surgery) remain out for the Lakers.

Giannis (hamstring) and Khris Middleton (ankle) are probable.

The Bucks are the one playoff opponent the Lakers — embroiled in a tight playoff race — will face on their road swing. However, the Lakers are just 12-20 on the road in 2023-24.

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“It's a very testy road trip for us,” said LeBron after the Pacers win. “Very rare. I can't remember where I've had such a late East Coast road trip, or vice versa 
 So that's challenging. But we look forward to it.”

The Lakers (39-32), seven games above .500 for the first time since 2021, are 2.5 games behind the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks (41-29) for the No. 7 seed, and three games back of the Phoenix Suns (42-29) for the coveted No. 6 seed in the West.

“We try to look at figure out how far we are behind the sixth seed, but you stretch yourself out, put too much pressure on yourself when you're constantly looking at it,” AD said Sunday. “I think we're ninth right now, so we just gotta continue to play our style of basketball and focus on us.

“It's the road. Gonna be tough. We got the capability of winning each game.”

LeBron also sat out the second matchup between the Lakers and Bucks last season, meaning the last time LeBron and Giannis squared off was Dec. 2, 2022 — a 133-129 Lakers win in Milwaukee. Anthony Davis had 44 points, while Giannis dropped 40. LeBron had 28 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds.