LeBron James suffered a groin strain Saturday night that forced him out the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to the Boston Celtics and threatens to complicate the team’s push to the playoffs. Midway through the fourth quarter of Boston’s 111-101 victory at TD Garden,

With the Lakers down by 18 points in the fourth, the Celtics' Jayson Tatum blew past James and drove to the basket for a layup. Tatum made some minimal contact with James and may have grazed James's chin with his right elbow, but James—ever the league veteran—expertly sold the foul:

As he suspected postgame Saturday night, early indications are LeBron James avoided a serious injury to his left groin muscle, according to a person close to the situation not authorized to discuss it publicly.