Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is expected to miss at least one to two weeks with a groin strain, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Sunday.
James will wait for the groin injury to calm down Sunday and receive another evaluation, sources told ESPN, but the Lakers are braced to be without him for a period of time and will be cautious as they hold the third seed in the Western Conference.
James exited Saturday's loss to the Boston Celtics with with 6:44 remaining in the fourth quarter and did not return.
After the game, James downplayed the injury, saying there was "not much concern" and vowed to "go day to day" in treating it.
The 22-year veteran missed 17 games during the 2018-19 season after suffering a torn groin on Christmas Day.
"I've been there before, and I know what type of injury you're dealing with," James said Saturday.
Los Angeles is entering a treacherous stretch of its schedule, playing six contests in the next eight days -- including two games apiece against the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks.
James, 40, who has played in 58 of the Lakers' 62 games through Saturday, is averaging 25 points on 51.7% shooting (38.4% from 3), 8.5 assists and 8.2 rebounds this season.
ESPN's Dave McMenamin contributed to this report.
