Lakers playoff push in peril with LeBron news

James was already dealing with an injury to his left foot that periodically left him in "unbearable" pain. Sunday, in the Lakers' huge comeback win over the Mavericks, James injured his right foot when he stepped on Dwight Powell's foot in the third quarter. While sideline microphones caught James saying he "heard a pop," he played through the injury, finishing with 26 points in 37 minutes.

Afterward, James was not happy.

The new-look Lakers had won three in a row, just after remaking their roster with four trades and six new players. According to Shams Charania, the injury is serious enough that James will be seeking opinions from multiple doctors. The Lakers are prepared for his absence to last "multiple weeks," a brutal blow, since the season has just six weeks remaining.

He's the second L.A. starter to get injured by stepping on an opponent's foot. On Thursday night, D'Angelo Russell sprained his ankle preparing to inbound the ball, when he blindly stepped backwards onto Donte DiVincenzo's foot.

Russell is out for Tuesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, but he's listed as "day-to-day." There's optimism that the point guard could be back soon, as he was healthy enough to go through a pregame workout Sunday night.

It's bad timing as well, since the team's new players are still trying to mesh, and the Lakers face playoff teams in seven of their next eight games. In the other game, they play the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are just half a game behind them in the standings.

We'll know more after James gets more medical opinions, but even the NBA's all-time scoring leader will struggle when both of his feet are hurt. Our opinion? The Lakers are in trouble.