Lakers’ LeBron James (ankle) sits out against Spurs; questionable for Wednesday in OKC

SAN ANTONIO — A scary collision against Memphis connected Sunday nighttime gave LeBron James capable occupation for him to miss his archetypal crippled of the play connected Tuesday.

The 36-year-old sat retired of the contention against the San Antonio Spurs with close ankle soreness, the aforesaid ankle that was dinged erstwhile Memphis Grizzlies defender Desmond Bane fell and landed connected James connected Sunday night. While James grimaced and grabbed astatine his leg, helium played done the remainder of that crippled but admitted that it was “a small sore” connected afterward.

Coach Frank Vogel said James was evaluated by the aesculapian unit passim the day. He had been downgraded to “questionable” earlier Tuesday. Vogel said James did not enactment connected the tribunal during the day, arsenic players sometimes bash earlier game-time decisions are made.

More pressingly, James – who is averaging 26 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists done 3 games – is questionable for Wednesday’s crippled astatine Oklahoma City arsenic well.

“Going to spot however helium feels,” helium said. “He’s conscionable time to time and he’ll get evaluated again time and spot what the soreness is similar and marque a determination then.”

Malik Monk started successful James’ place, portion Rajon Rondo took connected a bigger relation arsenic the team’s backup constituent guard.

An wounded to James’ close ankle apt leads to interest for attentive fans: It’s the aforesaid ankle James injured past twelvemonth erstwhile Atlanta Hawks guardant Solomon Hill rolled into it. The four-time league MVP missed 26 games with the injury, and admitted that helium was not steadfast successful the postseason erstwhile the Lakers were knocked retired successful the archetypal circular by the Phoenix Suns.

Even James was deed by deja vu initially.

“The archetypal happening I was reasoning to myself was, ‘Not again,’ due to the fact that obviously, it was astir akin but not the aforesaid benignant of play,” helium said Sunday. “Guy falls into my limb and there’s thing you tin bash astir it and I couldn’t get my limb retired of determination successful time.”

But Vogel specified that the wounded is successful a antithetic spot successful James’ ankle and not arsenic severe. James, who is 5th all-time successful regular-season minutes played (50,169), should beryllium backmost successful the lineup sooner alternatively than later.

The Lakers are dealing with a spate of injuries successful the aboriginal season, including semipermanent injuries for Talen Horton-Tucker (thumb surgery) and Trevor Ariza (ankle surgery). Kendrick Nunn could beryllium reevaluated adjacent week for a bony bruise successful his close knee.

There was astatine slightest 1 affirmative connected the wounded front: Wayne Ellington dressed for the crippled aft sitting retired the archetypal 3 with a hamstring strain. Vogel said helium did not mean to play Ellington successful the rotation Tuesday, but that the 33-year-old is nearing a instrumentality to the court.

During the archetypal 3 games, James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook each averaged much than 35 minutes. Vogel said helium intends to bring those numbers down.

“Obviously I played them a batch successful the 4th fourth successful that Phoenix crippled conscionable to drawback a rhythm,” helium said. “It truly has to bash with wherever we’re astatine and what we’re trying to physique much than wherever those numbers are going to yet land. Obviously, they’re a small precocious but we’ll person that nether control.”