LeBron James doubtful for Lakers vs. Bucks with ankle injury

The Lakers look set to open up their road trip without LeBron James as he’s listed as doubtful vs. the Bucks with his ankle injury.

LeBron James’ ongoing ankle injury that has nagged him all season long looks set to cost him another game. The All-Star forward is listed as doubtful for the Lakers game against the Bucks on Tuesday with left ankle peroneal tendinopathy.

That is the same ailment that has landed him on the injury report for much of the season.

With a back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday against the Bucks and Grizzlies, respectively, it was always a long shot that LeBron would play in both contests. On top of that, it’ll be three games in five nights with a contest against the Pacers coming on Friday as well.

LeBron did not play in both games of the Lakers' two most recent back-to-backs on either side of the All-Star break.

Interestingly, LeBron will not play the Bucks this season, assuming he does not play in Tuesday’s contest. LeBron sat against Milwaukee on March 8, a game in which D’Angelo Russell had one of the greatest games of his Lakers tenures.

Without LeBron, the Lakers are 5-4 this season. Also of note looking forward, the Lakers have two more back-to-backs, including one to close out the road trip they’re about to embark upon, that will be worth monitoring to see if he plays in either of those.

Over the weekend, LeBron struggled in both contests before turning it on in the fourth quarter against both the Sixers and Pacers. Whether that’s attributed directly to his ankle is unclear, but it’s context to the situation.

LeBron not playing might be an easier pill to swallow given the postseason fate of the Lakers looking increasingly locked in. With 11 games remaining, the Lakers have a 2.5 game lead on the Warriors for the tenth seed and are 2.5 games back of the Mavericks and Kings for the seventh and eighth seeds.

Things can change quickly, but the Lakers are in a comfortable, if not also undesired, position in the playoffs and can afford to continue to rest LeBron in hopes of having him completely available for the postseason.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.