Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest injury update for Clippers vs. Lakers

As the Lakers fight to keep themselves in the Play-In, the status of one of their stars is in question. LeBron James played 31 minutes in L.A.'s game against the Trail Blazers. While the Lakers star didn't seem to have suffered anything during the game, James has been dealing with an ankle injury for the last couple of weeks. He has played through the pain but is listed on the Lakers injury report and his status for this crucial game against the Clippers is in question.

LeBron James's injury status against the Clippers

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, LeBron James is out vs the Clippers on Tuesday. the Lakers will need Anthony Davis to step up if the Lakers want to beat the other team in L.A. The squad has had D'Angelo Russell play a lot better in recent games. If Russell plays the way that he has played in the latest games, then the Lakers could have a chance to beat the Clippers.

No matter what happens, Russell will most likely be shipped out by the trade deadline. His play in this game and others can help the veteran control the situation he heads into after he gets traded. If he is able to keep up his play for the last couple of games, Russell could be able to keep a starting spot for whatever teams he ends up with.

At the end of the day, it will be hard to see the Lakers beat a Clippers team that is rolling. Anthony Davis will need to continue his monster play from this season for the Lakers to have a small chance of beating the Clippers in this game. Even if the Lakers can beat the Clippers without James, the team will most likely still be tangled in trade rumors for the foreseeable future.