Lakers’ LeBron James ineligible for postseason awards for first time

The Lakers will be seriously shorthanded Tuesday night in San Antonio, and that might be underselling it.

Los Angeles will be without Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain), LeBron James (left foot arthritis), Austin Reaves (left calf injury management), and Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness), the team announced. Starting center Deandre Ayton is listed as questionable with right knee soreness.

James’ absence stands out most. It will be the 18th game he has missed this season, officially eliminating him from end-of-season award eligibility under the league’s 65-game rule.

That brings an end to an incredible run. James’ streak of All-NBA selections will stop at 21 straight seasons.

Then again, it may have ended, anyway. James may not have earned a spot on the All-NBA teams even if he were eligible.

That said, the numbers were still there when he played. James is averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds on 50.2 percent shooting.

Not vintage LeBron, perhaps, but still possibly elite enough to earn another All-Star nod and keep him in the All-NBA conversation had health cooperated.

Instead, the Lakers are left trying to regroup after a 119-110 home loss Monday night to an Oklahoma City team that didn’t even have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

James didn’t sugarcoat what that loss revealed.

“That’s a championship team right there, we’re not,” he said, via Broderick Turner of the LA Times. “We can’t sustain energy and effort for 48 minutes and they can.”