One of the biggest reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers lost in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs was because superstar LeBron James wasn’t fully healthy.
The four-time MVP had gone down with a severe high ankle sprain earlier in the season.
For the rest of the season, it continued to somewhat hamper his play. Now that he is officially in the offseason, James is apparently getting some extensive treatment on the injured ankle.
James first sustained the injury in late March. At the time, the Lakers were already dealing with the lengthy absence of Anthony Davis due to a calf strain.
At first, the team struggled without its superstar big man, but after the All-Star break, they put together a short winning streak while putting up strong offensive numbers before James got hurt.
James’ ankle sprain gave the Lakers a double dose of adversity that caused them to plunge in the standings. As a result, they needed to win in the play-in tournament just to reach the traditional playoff bracket.
The Akron, Ohio native is now 36 years of age. While it may be feasible for him to make a full recovery from his ankle injury, he will likely need more help on the offensive end if the Lakers are to regain the NBA championship next year.
