James, Hachimura, and Hayes Fly Back to California for Treatment; Miss Remaining Road Trip

MILWAUKEE (AP) — LeBron James returned to California for treatment on his strained left groin and will not participate in the remainder of the Los Angeles Lakers' four-game road trip, which ends Friday in Denver.

Due to an injury, James sat out for the second consecutive match on Thursday when the Lakers suffered a defeat with a score of 126-106 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Similarly absent from the lineup were Rui Hachimura who was dealing with left patellar tendinopathy, and Jaxson Hayes nursing a bruised right knee.

The Lakers' coach JJ Redick mentioned that all three players will be considered day-to-day when the remainder of the squad gets back to California to start a five-game home series on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns.

"Frankly, they're better off skipping the trip and recovering back in Los Angeles," Redick stated prior to the game.

The recent injuries mark another obstacle for a squad that has lost three consecutive matches and is currently navigating through a grueling part of their schedule. Following the contest in Denver, the Lakers will have another match on Sunday afternoon.

"The margin for error is quite slim since we are missing three key players who contribute significantly," stated Austin Reaves, who scored 28 points on Thursday.

On Thursday, they started an eight-day period where the Lakers have six more games scheduled.

Successful groups inevitably face challenges," stated Luka Doncic, who maintained the Lakers' competitiveness throughout most of the match with his performance of 45 points and 11 rebounds. "It seems like we're going through that right now.

Doncic made seven out of thirteen three-point attempts and became just the third Laker, alongside Kobe Bryant and James, to score at least 45 points, grab 10 rebounds, and make five three-pointers in a single game.

It wasn't enough.

It was alright, but it doesn’t matter if we don't secure the victory," Doncic stated. "Ultimately, this is a team effort, and everyone needs to stay united. No matter what anyone accomplishes individually, at the end of the day, winning is essential. Unfortunately, we failed to achieve that tonight.

This losing streak of three games has followed right after the Lakers' run of eight consecutive wins. The injuries to three frontcourt players have left the team looking for effective lineups.

In the Lakers’ opening roster were 7-foot-tall Alex Len, along with Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith, paired up with Doncic and Austin Reaves, the latter contributing 28 points. This marked only Alex Len’s second appearance as a starter after joining the team earlier this month.

Christian Koloco, who stands at seven feet tall, saw action for almost 15 minutes, marking his most extended playing time in an NBA game since January 28. Similarly, Markieff Morris matched his season-high with 12 minutes of playtime.

I believe the players who have had increased playing time have really excelled," Reaves stated. "We simply need to find a way to achieve greater success together as a team. During a season, there will be challenges when you must learn how to overcome difficulties. I am confident we can handle this.

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