LeBron James May Miss Thursday Game as He Nears NBA Games Played Record

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against Miami due to left foot arthritis. James needs just one more game to tie Robert Parish's NBA record of 1,611 career regular-season games played.

MIAMI — The Los Angeles Lakers have listed superstar LeBron James as questionable for Thursday’s matchup against the Miami Heat, potentially delaying his pursuit of the NBA’s all-time record for career games played by a few more days.

According to the Lakers, James is managing left foot arthritis. The team also listed Luka Doncic as questionable with right hip soreness and Austin Reaves with a right forearm contusion.

This trio contributed 84 points during the Lakers’ 124-116 victory over Houston on Wednesday evening. Following that contest, the team traveled to Miami, touching down at 3:59 a.m. — unusually late compared to typical arrival times for teams playing consecutive nights.

In Wednesday’s triumph, James shot an exceptional 13 of 14 from the field, matching his career-best shooting display. This marked his 1,610th regular-season appearance, placing him just one game shy of Robert Parish’s all-time record.

During the closing moments of Wednesday’s victory, James struck his right elbow against the court surface, staying down momentarily while showing clear signs of discomfort. Speaking with ESPN during the post-game television interview, he expressed optimism about participating Thursday in Miami — a city where he spent four seasons and captured two of his four NBA titles.

Parish, who entered the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, has held the outright games played record since April 6, 1996. On that date, he appeared in his 1,561st contest, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s previous mark.

Parish ultimately competed in 50 additional regular-season contests before retiring following the 1996-97 campaign. His 21-year NBA journey began with Golden State, continued for more than ten years in Boston, and concluded with stints in Charlotte and Chicago.

“No player is better deserving to break that Ironman record, that 1,611 games played record, than LeBron,” Parish told Sirius NBA Radio earlier this week. “He deserves it, in my opinion.”

This games played milestone would represent another addition to James’ extensive collection of NBA records, as he currently holds the league’s top position in multiple categories including total points, minutes played, field goals made and attempted.

James also owns NBA records with 23 seasons played, 22 All-Star selections and 21 All-NBA team honors.

Should he remain sidelined Thursday, James’ next opportunity to match the record would come Saturday when the Lakers visit Orlando.