March 7 (UPI) -- Superstar forward LeBron James won't play against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday because of "significant" soreness in his left knee, Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said.
The 37-year-old James missed five games due to his knee from late January until early February, but he hadn't missed any time because of the ailment since.
Vogel told reporters the team remains "hopeful" that James will return Wednesday against the Houston Rockets.
In James' last outing, the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player scored 56 points against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. His performance against the Warriors was his highest-scoring game with the Lakers and tied for third highest in his 19-year career.
The Lakers rallied from a 14-point deficit for a 124-116 win over the Warriors. The victory still only brought the Lakers' record to 28-35 this season, leaving them in ninth in the Western Conference standings.
Los Angeles also is dealing with the extended absence of star big man Anthony Davis, who has been out for about three weeks due to a midfoot sprain.
James has averaged 29.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists across 36.8 minutes per game this season for the Lakers.
