LeBron James doesn’t view groin injury as serious, but it’s too soon to set return date

Lakers forward LeBron James shoots over Celtics forward Sam Hauser Saturday in Boston. As he suspected postgame Saturday night, early indications are LeBron James avoided a serious injury to his left groin muscle, according to a person close to the situation not authorized to discuss it publicly. James, who left Saturday’s loss to the Boston Celtics in the fourth quarter, said postgame that he didn’t believe the injury to be as serious as the one he suffered in 2018 when he missed more than a month after hearing his groin muscle pop. James missed 17 games with a groin injury his first season with the Lakers in 2018, and Saturday, he said his mind initially flashed to that point before focusing on Anthony Davis, who was injured in his first game with Dallas last month. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum knocks the ball loose from Lakers forward LeBron James during a game Saturday in Boston.