Had the Los Angeles Lakers extended their season Wednesday night, the team would have continued its postseason run without one of its franchise players. Superstar LeBron James reportedly sustained a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee during the contest, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. The injury is expected to require roughly three-to-five weeks of recovery. Had the Lakers reached Game 6 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, James reportedly would have been unable to play, ending a record streak in which the Lakers' star played in 292 straight playoff games. Had the Lakers extended their series with the Wolves for Game 6 tonight in Minnesota, they would be without James and James’ record streak of 292 straight playoff games without sitting out would have been snapped https://t.co/FvVOF2xgfi — Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 2, 2025 The injury occurred with a little over eight minutes to play during the Lakers' 103-96 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 5. While attempting to get back in the right defensive position, James ran into Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo and crumpled to the floor. James received criticism for his reaction, as some fans accused the Lakers star of flopping after running into DiVincenzo — who is listed as five inches shorter and nearly 50 pounds lighter than James. Who knew Donte Divincenzo was so strong?? Lebron looks like he hit a brick wall and has left the game pic.twitter.com/7aVw7QyEsR — Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) May 1, 2025 James immediately clutched his knee and needed some time before he was helped off the floor. He briefly left the contest, but was able to return down the stretch. The loss eliminated the Lakers from the postseason. Following the contest, James said he wasn't ready to make a decision about his future. It's unclear if James knew the extent of his knee injury when he made those comments. James, 40, still played at a high level during the season and can opt into his player option for $52.2 million to remain with the Lakers next year, although he has opted out of his deals the previous three seasons to sign one-plus-one extensions. Friday's reported injury likely doesn't impact James' plans. If the three-to-five week timetable is accurate, James will have more than enough time to get right before the Lakers need him back in action. If anything, it's yet another reminder that James' career is winding down, and he'll need to take these types of injuries into consideration before deciding whether he wants to return for another season.