“Super more intense”: LeBron James gives scary health update following devastating loss to Nikola Jokić’s squad

The Los Angeles Lakers endured a difficult night in Denver on Thursday, leaving the arena with both a loss and fresh injury concerns. The game that already slipped away early but it became even more troubling late in the fourth quarter when LeBron James went down after a hard fall. The veteran star injured his elbow during a drive to the basket, adding another worry for a team already missing key production on the floor.The setback came in a 120-113 defeat to the Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray. While the Lakers attempted multiple comeback pushes, injuries and frustration with officiating dictated the closing minutes. James later revealed the extent of the discomfort in his elbow, offering a blunt update that raised concerns ahead of the team’s next game.

LeBron James addresses his sore elbow in the Lakers' game against the Nuggets

The injury occurred with a little over four minutes left in the fourth quarter.

James drove toward the rim, finished a layup through contact from Jokić, and crashed to the floor near the baseline. He immediately grabbed his arm and remained on the ground for a moment before slowly walking off the court.After the game, James described the pain, "It's pretty sore right now," James said after the game. "It felt like one of those funny bone situations, but like, super more intense."

The 39-year-old briefly returned to the floor after a timeout but did not attempt another shot.

He eventually sat out the final seconds as the Lakers tried to close the gap. Following the game, James iced the elbow while longtime trainer Mike Mancias placed a compression sleeve on his arm during the flight back to Los Angeles.James said he does not yet know if he will be available for the Lakers’ next matchup against the Indiana Pacers."We'll see what happens over the next couple of days," James said. "Hopefully, I'll wake up [Friday] and it doesn't feel too much worse than it is now.

Or, if it feels better, that would be great. So, it's day-to-day, we'll see what happens."James also voiced frustration about the play that caused the fall. When asked about the lack of a foul call on Jokić, he replied, "It's the same s**t," James said when asked if he was given an explanation from the officials as to why Jokic was not called for a foul.

The Lakers faced a devastating defeat against the Nuggets

The loss became even more complicated due to injuries earlier in the game. Starting center Deandre Ayton exited in the first quarter after only four minutes and thirty seconds because of left knee soreness. The big man had already missed games earlier with knee issues, leaving the Lakers thin in the frontcourt.The night also brought tension with the officiating crew. Luka Dončić received his 15th technical foul of the season after directing profanity toward a referee. Crew chief Ed Malloy later explained the decision.