LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers announced LeBron James is available for Sunday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies after a two-game break for personal reasons.
James did not play last Sunday against Portland or Friday at Minnesota. The Lakers announced about 45 minutes before tip-off against Memphis that James’ status had been upgraded from questionable to available.
The Lakers described James’ time away as an excused absence while noting that he’s also been managing some left foot pain. Lakers coach JJ Redick revealed before the game with Memphis that he and the four-time NBA MVP met on the day of the Portland game to discuss his plan for a break.
“When I talked to him earlier this week, I think I said something along those lines, just hoping that he was getting a good mind and body reset,” Redick said in his pregame availability Sunday. “He said he felt like he was.”
James is the NBA’s oldest player and turns 40 on Dec. 30. Including playoffs, no player in league history has appeared in more games or played more minutes than James — who is in his 22nd season, tying Vince Carter for the NBA record.
Redick indicated that he could appreciate if James felt the need for a few days off.
“I played 15 (years) and was emotionally, mentally, physically drained, fried,” Redick said. “I put everything I had into this game. I had nothing left. For guys like him and (Chris Paul), the Tom Brady’s of the world, the Roger Federer’s of the world, it’s hard to comprehend having that level of sustained excellence for so long because of the toll that it takes on all of you, not just your body.”
James entered Sunday averaging 23 points, 9.1 assists and eight rebounds per game this season. He also has seven triple-doubles, second-most in the NBA behind only Denver’s Nikola Jokic.
