NBA notebook: Injured LeBron (groin) may miss time

James said he was kneed in the groin when taking a charge from the Clippers'
Patrick Beverley and said that "kind of set me right back to where I was five
days ago."

He missed the Lakers' game on Sunday, a loss to Denver, because of the a
thoracic muscle strain, which affects the ribs, and lingering discomfort in
his right groin.

The Denver game was the only one James has missed this season, and he has said
he doesn't believe in the idea of load management. And while ESPN reported
this injury is far less severe than last year's torn left groin that limited
his playing time to 55 games, it could worsen with overuse. Some members of
the Lakers organization have asked him to sit out until his injury has had a
chance to recover fully.

--Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic returned from his sprained right ankle
and started against the San Antonio Spurs.

Doncic, 20, missed the past four games and most of a fifth when he injured his
ankle early in a Dec. 14 game against the Miami Heat. The Mavericks lost that
game and then went 2-2 without their superstar, who has averaged 29.3 points
over 25 games.

The injury forced Doncic to miss a highly anticipated matchup against Giannis
Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 16. Dallas won that game without
their scoring leader, ending the Bucks' 18-game winning streak.

--Zion Williamson still has a lot to learn before he can make his NBA debut
with the New Orleans Pelicans. That's what he told ESPN's Jorge Sedano before
the Pelicans beat the Denver Nuggets 112-100 on Wednesday night.

Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, told Sedano that his
rehab from surgery to repair a torn right meniscus includes working to make
his body's kinetic chain get in sync. That includes learning how to walk and
run differently.

The 19-year-old told Sedano he "trusts the organization" and the decisions
that are being made to best benefit his 6-foot-6, 284-pound body.

--Detroit Pistons shooting guard Luke Kennard will be sidelined at least two
weeks due to bilateral knee tendinitis, the team announced.

Kennard, who will be re-evaluated by the club on Jan. 7, is averaging
career-best totals in points (15.8), assists (4.1) and rebounds (3.5) this
season. The 23-year-old last played on Saturday, scoring 16 points in 31
minutes in Detroit's 119-107 loss to Chicago.

Kennard is averaging 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 164 career
games since being selected by the Pistons with the 12th overall pick of the
2017 NBA Draft.

--Field Level Media