The King’s diagnosis became official after Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. His team’s efforts ultimately weren’t enough, and Arkansas fell 103-96. The 40-year-old hoops legend suffered a serious hit to his left knee with a Grade 2 MCL sprain. The injury happened when Donte DiVincenzo ran into him while setting a moving screen. This incident occurred with 8:39 left in the fourth quarter, causing James to drop to the court in pain.
Just after the blow to the knee, James had his knee looked at by Mike Mancias, his longtime athletic trainer. After a brief exit from the game, he returned to the court with 7:23 remaining and played through to the end of the match, demonstrating his resilience and commitment to his team. It was in the MRI taken on Thursday that they confirmed the severity of the injury. It further described a best practice recovery time of three to five weeks.
This injury is particularly bad timing. It puts in jeopardy James’ remarkable run of 292 consecutive playoff games played without missing any due to injury. Had his team played Game 6 in Minneapolis on Friday night, James would have been absent from the game. This would have snapped his remarkable streak.
At 1:34 of the first quarter, DiVincenzo was whistled for an offensive foul while a pass was in the air intended for one of his teammates, Julius Randle. This was the collision that caused the honorat injury. This is yet another example of the unpredictable, dark and often fatal world of competitive sports. Injuries hit even harder as they impact individual players and team chemistry.
Researchers told Shapiro that James’s young age will likely help in his road to recovery as well. At 40 years old, he is a rarity as one of the league’s oldest players. He battles as many physical injuries as he does opponents, all while trying to maintain an elite level of performance. James’s track record for durability, along with his dedication to staying in top shape should certainly help him with his recovery period.
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