LeBron strains groin, will have MRI on Wednesday
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James exited Tuesday's marquee Christmas Day matchup against the Golden State Warriors midway through the third quarter due to a strained left groin.
James will undergo an MRI on Wednesday, Lakers head coach Luke Walton told reporters following his team's 127-101 victory at Oracle Arena, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.
The four-time MVP was seen mouthing the words "I felt a pop" before leaving the court. However, an initial exam revealed only a slight groin strain and that "all is intact," sources told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.
LeBron James: 'I felt it pop'
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) December 26, 2018
He went back to the locker room with an apparent groin injury pic.twitter.com/hrBu1PwbiP
The injury seemingly occurred when James' right leg slid out from underneath him while he attempted to retrieve a loose ball. He notched a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds in 21 minutes before departing.
LeBron James tells ESPN “the good thing is the muscle is intact.” He hasn’t ruled out playing Thursday against Sacramento, however a MRI tomorrow will reveal how plausible that will actually be.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 26, 2018
The 33-year-old hasn't missed a game since being rested for the final contest of the 2016-17 regular season.