James to sit out last six games for Lakers

LOS ANGELES

LeBron James’ first season with the Los Angeles Lakers is over.

James will sit out the final six games of the Lakers’ sixth consecutive losing season, the team announced Saturday.

In a statement, President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka claimed the decision will provide James with a head start on offseason healing for a three-month-old groin strain, the first significant injury of his career.

“After consulting with our team doctors and medical staff, we have decided to hold LeBron out of games for the remainder of the season,” the statement said. “This decision will allow his groin to fully heal, and is best for the future success of both LeBron and the Lakers.”

James is the NBA’s fifth-leading scorer at 27.4 points per game, and he averaged 8.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists in his first season on the West Coast.

James appeared in the past eight NBA Finals with Miami and Cleveland, but he will finish this year playing in a career-low 55 games and a career-low 35.2 minutes per game for the Lakers (34-42).