LeBron James is missing opening night for the first time, at the top of a record-breaking 23rd season in the NBA.

The Los Angeles Lakers have officially sidelined the 40-year-old combo forward with sciatica. He will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, which will delay the new record regarding his 23rd campaign in the league by at least a few games.

With 1,562 regular-season games played over the first 22 years, the four-time NBA champion is 50 appearances away from climbing to the top of the all-time list, over the 1,611 appearances of Robert Parish.

James previously missed Preseason 2025 fixtures opposite the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns due to a glute nerve irritation. He is dealing with pain caused by pressure or irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from th

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