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Dave McMenamin
Even if the Los Angeles Lakers had been able to extend their first-round series with a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Wednesday’s Game 5, they would have had their work cut out for them the rest of the series — and the playoffs.
An MRI on Thursday revealed that Lakers star LeBron James suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee in the fourth quarter of Game 5, a league source told ESPN on Friday.
The injury entails a three-to-five-week recommended recovery timeline, the source told ESPN.
The injury occurred with 8:39 remaining in the fourth quarter when Wolves guard Donte DiVincenzo was called for an offensive foul after colliding with James’ left knee in the lane, setting a moving screen while a pass was being thrown to Julius Randle on the perimeter.
James dropped to the court in pain and had to sub out of the game, briefly, to have his knee looked at by his longtime athletic trainer, Mike Mancias.
The 40-year-old James checked back in with 7:23 to go and played the remainder of the game, a 103-96 loss to the Wolves to end the series.
James, who has played in an NBA record 292 playoff games without missing one because of injury, assuredly would have had that streak snapped if L.A. was playing Game 6 in Minneapolis Friday night.
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