LeBron, Doncic and Reaves listed as questionable for Lakers-Heat matchup
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The Los Angeles Lakers labeled LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as questionable for Thursday night’s game against the Miami Heat, the club announced Wednesday.
James is dealing with arthritis in his left foot, while Doncic has soreness in his right hip and Reaves is nursing a contusion on his right forearm.
Record on hold
If the 21-year veteran sits out, Robert Parish will keep sole possession of the NBA record for regular-season games played—1,611—for at least another day. James has appeared in 1,610 regular-season contests after Wednesday’s 124-116 victory in Houston.
Parish, enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2003, set the games-played mark on April 6, 1996, when he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar by stepping on the floor for his 1,561st game. He finished his career with 50 additional appearances before retiring in 1997.
“No player is better deserving to break that iron man record … than LeBron,” Parish told Sirius NBA Radio earlier this week.
Back-to-back challenge
James, Doncic and Reaves combined for 84 points in Houston, where James shot 13-for-14 to tie the most accurate outing of his career. The Lakers charter arrived in Miami at 3:59 a.m. Thursday, a tighter turnaround than most back-to-backs.
The four-time NBA champion also knocked his right elbow on the floor in the closing minutes against the Rockets but said in an on-court interview with ESPN that he hoped to play in Miami, the city where he captured his first two titles.
Long list of milestones
Along with the looming games-played record, James already tops the league in career points, minutes, field goals made and field goals attempted. He also holds NBA records for 23 seasons played, 22 All-Star selections and 21 All-NBA nods.
If he cannot suit up Thursday, the next opportunity to match Parish’s total comes Saturday in Orlando.
Source: ESPN
