LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 01: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers walks off the court after warming up before the basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena on April 1, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LeBron James will miss the remainder of the season rehabbing an ankle injury, putting his run at the scoring title at risk.
The Los Angeles Lakers announced Friday that LeBron James will miss the remainder of the season after he suffered an ankle injury during a recent game against the New Orleans Pelicans. James will miss the final two games of the season before it concludes Sunday at Denver, preventing him from winning his second NBA scoring title.
James has averaged 30.3 points per game this season, sitting just behind Joel Embiid who is averaging 30.4 points per game. Besides trailing behind Embiid, James faces eligibility problems as it is required for a player to play in 58 games to qualify for season leaderboards. James has only played in 56. Missing the final two games of the season would technically make James ineligible, however, if a player has played in less than 58 games, the player’s total points are divided by 58 to come up with a new number to represent their 58-game average.
LeBron James won’t be able to win the scoring title
James has only played one game since spraining his ankle, dropping 38 points in a disappointing loss to New Orleans on April 1. James has seen two consecutive seasons interrupted by ankle issues.
James turns 38 next season and will miss the playoffs for just the second time since 2005. The Lakers have lost eight consecutive games and have gone 10-30 since Jan, 7. The Lakers can only look to rebuild from here and hope for the best going into the offseason.