LeBron James Injury Could Impact Important Matchup for Sixers

The Sixers could use a Brooklyn Nets win over the LeBron-less Lakers.

Mar 8, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) calls a play against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets are one of the most important teams to the Philadelphia 76ers right now. As the two organizations have flip-flopped in the Eastern Conference standings over the week, every game matters for the Sixers’ potential quest for a top-six pick.

On Monday, the Nets will host the Los Angeles Lakers, who continue making headlines. Just as everything’s going great for LA, with Luka Doncic getting comfortable and hitting his stride, the Lakers saw their superstar forward LeBron James go down with a setback on Saturday night.

via @ShamsCharania: Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is expected to miss at least 1-to-2 weeks with a groin strain, sources tell ESPN. James will wait for the groin injury to calm down over the next 24 hours and receive another evaluation.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is expected to miss at least 1-to-2 weeks with a groin strain, sources tell ESPN. James will wait for the groin injury to calm down over the next 24 hours and receive another evaluation. pic.twitter.com/17mWxsaXN3

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 9, 2025

Lately, the Lakers have been rolling. At 40-22, LA holds the Western Conference’s second seed. They’ve won eight of their last 10 games. Even without James, the Lakers head into Monday’s game in Brooklyn favored to come out on top, but the odds surely shift without him.

Brooklyn has come up short in eight of their last 10 games and are currently in the midst of a seven-game losing streak. With the Sixers in need of a favor from the Nets from a draft standpoint, they might have a tough time getting back on the same record even without LeBron on the floor in Brooklyn.

Jan 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) guards Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Philadelphia 76ers Draft Standing

After a win against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night, the Sixers moved to 22-41 on the year. With that win, they surpassed the Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference standings once again.

Now sitting in 11th place, the Sixers are behind the Chicago Bulls, who possess the East’s final NBA Play-In spot. The Sixers are just under four games away from the Bulls, who have won their last two outings.

If the season ended on March 10, the Sixers would be in position for the seventh-overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Anything beyond the top six would become the Oklahoma City Thunder’s selection. According to Tankathon, the Sixers have a 32 percent chance of seeing their pick land in the top four and a 7.5 percent chance of becoming the No. 1 overall selection.

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