LeBron James will miss his second straight game Friday when his Lakers play the Timberwolves, the team announced.
James, who missed Sunday’s 107-98 win against Portland due to foot soreness, did not travel with the team to Minnesota, according to ESPN.
It came after James, who turns 40 this month, was absent from the team’s practice Wednesday.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said it was due to “personal reasons” and that it was an “excused absence.”
USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
“In game, he’s asked for a sub a couple times because he’s gassed,” Redick said Wednesday. “For us, we have to be cognizant as we play more and more games, just the cumulative effect of playing a lot of minutes and Sunday, being banged up with the foot thing, it felt like a good opportunity for him to get some rest.”
James has yet to publicly address his absence from the team.
On Wednesday, he called into an episode of his wife Savannah’s “Everybody’s Crazy” podcast and he joked with her and her co-host April McDaniel about the holidays.
James, who is averaging 35 minutes per game this season, previously said he wanted to play all 82 games in his 22nd NBA campaign.
His absence came after his shooting slump, which started last month, when he missed 20 consecutive 3-pointers over a five-game stretch.
James is averaging 23.0 points, 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds.
The Lakers (13-11) have lost seven of their last 10 games after a 10-4 start.
Los Angeles is back home against the Grizzles on Sunday.