LeBron James hasn't seen much action this season, as he's been dealing with sciatica pain since the offseason. However, he did participate in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, dishing the game-winning assist to Rui Hachimura, effectively ending James' streak of scoring at least 10 points in a contest. But it appears he is heading back to the sideline once again.
After initially being ruled doubtful to play against Boston, L.A. officially ruled James out. The soon-to-be 41-year-old forward is still dealing with sciatica, along with left foot joint arthritis. He'll take a break, while Luka Doncic (personal) and Marcus Smart (left lumbar muscle strain) will also sit out against the Celtics.
“LeBron James (sciatica, left foot joint arthritis) is OUT tonight when the Lakers take on the Celtics, the team has announced.”
With the four-time MVP Award winner officially ruled out, the Lakers will likely replace LeBron James with Jake LaRavia or Maxi Kleber. There is a chance Jaxson Hayes and Dalton Knecht will also see some additional playing time as well. This isn't new for L.A., though, as James has only played in six games so far in the 2025-26 campaign. In those contests, he is playing well below his career averages, as he's averaging 14.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game while shooting 41.3% from the field and 25.9% from beyond the arc.
His points per game, rebounds per game, and field goal percentage are all career lows. Despite his early-season struggles, the Lakers sit at second place in the Western Conference and are just 4.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
