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LeBron to sit out rest of the NBA season

LeBron James' first NBA 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 has announced.

Season over: LeBron James.

Season over: LeBron James.Credit:AP

President of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka claimed in a statement the decision would provide James with a head start on off-season 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 read.

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"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.

He will accompany the Lakers on their trip to New Orleans and Oklahoma City but the 16-year NBA veteran won't play in the post-season for the first time since 2005, his second year in the league.

James appeared in the past eight NBA finals with Miami and Cleveland but he will finish this season playing in a career-low 55 games and a career-low 35.2 minutes per game.

Los Angeles failed to overcome several major injuries and a mid-season crisis of team confidence when the Lakers attempted to land superstar Anthony Davis in a multi-player trade.

They are 34-42 after beating Charlotte 129-115 on Friday night, with James scoring 27 points in what turnRead More – Source

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