LeBron James to miss two road games

WASHINGTON - Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will miss the team's upcoming road trip to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets as he continues to recover from a strained left groin, local media reported on Wednesday.

Coach Luke Walton said he was encouraged by James' conditions during practice. "He didn't do the up-and-down stuff. He did the half-court shooting and passing. He seems to be in good spirits," Walton said.

James, who has been sidelined for almost three weeks, will be re-evaluated on Wednesday.

James is the NBA's sixth-leading scorer with 27.3 points per game along with 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists. The Lakers now collect 24 wins out of 45 games and rank eighth in the West Conference standings.