LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers continue to spiral amid an injury-plagued late-season stretch.
However, LA received some positive injury news on the veteran star forward ahead of Thursday’s marquee road clash against the Golden State Warriors.
LeBron James Removed From Lakers’ Injury Report After 1-Game Hiatus
James sat out Tuesday’s 123-87 blowout home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder due to left foot soreness, a condition he has managed all season.
The setback came at the start of a stretch of three games in four nights for LA, with Thursday’s matchup against Golden State marking the first leg of a back-to-back set. James and Co. will follow that up with a Friday home showdown against the Phoenix Suns.
With OKC (64-16) being the league’s top team, many viewed the Lakers’ decision to hold James out as a precautionary measure, with little hope of emerging victorious against the defending NBA champions while shorthanded.
Aside from James, the Lakers are without his co-stars Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) for the remainder of the regular season. Meanwhile, key role players Marcus Smart (ankle) and Jaxson Hayes (foot) are still on the injury report.
Fortunately for LA, James was removed from the injury report on Wednesday. This sets the 22-time All-Star up to face his longtime rivals, who have endured an injury-riddled campaign (37-42) themselves.
LeBron James is off the #Lakers injury report and will be back in the lineup tomorrow against the Warriors.
Marcus Smart has been upgraded to questionable, while Jaxson Hayes remains out. pic.twitter.com/0mb6VDUbse
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) April 9, 2026
In his last appearance, James delivered arguably his top effort of the season, posting 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 15 assists against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Despite his well-rounded performance, the Lakers still dug themselves into an early 22-point hole en route to a discouraging 134-128 road loss to the lottery-bound squad.
That marked LA’s first outing since the devastating injuries to Dončić and Reaves, which halted the franchise’s momentum. After cruising to a 15-2 record in March behind Dončić’s historic 600-point total, the undermanned Lakers have lost their first three contests in April.
The rough patch has dropped the Lakers (50-29) from third to fourth in the congested Western Conference standings. They were overtaken by the Denver Nuggets (52-28), while the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets (50-29) have won seven straight games to tie them.
Regardless, James and Co. will be tasked with weathering the storm in Dončić and Reaves’ absence, with little hope of advancing in the playoffs unless at least one makes a miraculously quick return.
As Lakers coach JJ Redick pointed out ahead of Tuesday’s loss, seeding has been thrown “out the window” for his team after previously zeroing in on a top-three finish.
