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Marcio José Sánchez / Associated Press
Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward LeBron James said he will be “ready to play” for Friday’s Christmas Day game against the Dallas Mavericks despite an ankle injury sustained in Tuesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. .
“I never missed a Christmas Day game and I don’t plan on missing one tomorrow,” told reporters Thursday.
James, the NBA’s longtime gold standard, continues to play at the MVP level nearly two decades after the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft. His season in Los Angeles was far more successful than the first, as the arrival of Anthony Davis helped him win his fourth title.
The 35-year-old Ohio native was limited to 55 appearances in his first year with the Lakers due to injuries. He stayed tougher last season, but missed a game in the NBA’s Orlando bubble due to a groin injury. He stayed healthy during the playoffs.
No player can be asked to play the multi-faceted role of James when he’s out. Talen Horton-Tucker, Wesley Matthews and Alex Caruso are among the reserves who could see their minutes increase to help fill the void if he finally loses time due to an ankle.
The Lakers still have Davis and have wide rotation depth, factors that should help keep the team afloat if James is forced to sit on the bench at times this season. However, any kind of extended absence could be a crushing blow to Los Angeles’ repeat offer.
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