LeBron Out vs Thunder for Left Foot Management

Merlin sees LeBron James will sit out Tuesday’s game against the Thunder as the Lakers manage his "left foot injury management," the team announced. The timing stings because Los Angeles is 50-28, a half game behind Denver for the No. 3 seed and a full game ahead of Houston for No. 4. James is still averaging 20.8 points, 7.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 51.2 percent. Merlin notes the Lakers are choosing caution with their centerpiece as other guards are already lost for the regular season, so preserving LeBron matters for playoff health and seeding. Rest lowers short term risk but tightens the margin in the stretch run. Thursday’s meeting with Steph Curry and the Warriors now carries extra weight.