Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was forced to exit Thursday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets after suffering a left elbow injury during what became a historic evening for the NBA legend.
The injury occurred with 4:05 remaining on the clock as the Lakers fell to Denver 120-113. James was attempting a layup when he took a hard fall past the baseline, immediately signaling distress.
While play continued at the opposite end of the court and the Lakers were called for a foul, television microphones captured James on the floor saying, “My elbow. F—. F—.”
James did not return to the game after that moment, with Los Angeles down 110-106 at the time of his departure.
Following the contest, Lakers head coach JJ Redick provided limited information about the star player’s condition.
“He fell on it,” Redick explained regarding James’ elbow injury. “It was bothering him enough that he didn’t feel comfortable (remaining in the game).”
The injury came on a night when James achieved another milestone in his legendary career. During the opening quarter, he connected on a jump shot that marked his 15,838th career field goal, surpassing Lakers icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA’s all-time record.
This achievement adds to James’ record-breaking resume, as he previously overtook Abdul-Jabbar three years ago to become the league’s all-time leading scorer.
