LeBron James will sit out Saturday’s road game against the Golden State Warriors as the Los Angeles Lakers seek to rest their star after his return from a groin injury.
James started Thursday against the LA Clippers after being sidelined since Christmas, a stretch of 17 games. Lakers coach Luke Walton said James was sore after playing 40 minutes in the team’s overtime win.
James described himself as being at about 80 percent following Thursday’s return. Data from Second Spectrum seemed to back that up. He spent only 3.9 percent of the time overall running fast, his second-lowest percentage in a game this season. His average speed on offense was 4.2 mph, his fourth-lowest in a game this season.
In his first season with the Lakers, James, 34, is averaging 27.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.2 assists for a Los Angeles team that entered play Saturday night in ninth place in the Western Conference.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said starting shooting guard Klay Thompson will play Saturday.
Thompson missed the Warriors’ Thursday night home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers because of an illness. He did not practice with the team on Friday and had been considered a game-time decision.
Named an All-Star for the fifth straight season, Thompson is averaging 21.7 points per game.