LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James was downgraded to out from the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-122 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night because of a sore left ankle.
It was the ninth missed game for James, 39, this season. Spencer Dinwiddie started in his place.
Star forward Anthony Davis, meanwhile, was being evaluated by the Lakers' medical staff after tweaking his left shoulder in Friday's game but played through it, according to coach Darvin Ham. The team is hoping there will be an update Saturday.
James missed the Lakers' last game before the All-Star break and the first one after it while seeking treatment on the ankle, which has been an ongoing issue for months for the 21-year veteran.
"Just experiencing some severe soreness, and we just decided for him not to play tonight," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said before the game. "I think it's caused by 21 years of service. It's a day-by-day thing, and we're going to treat it as such. And see how he feels tomorrow."
James limped off the court with just under four minutes to go in the team's loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
A source familiar with the injury told ESPN it is a "wear and tear" issue for James.
"It's just something I've been dealing with," James said after the Kings loss.
Despite winning 11 of their past 16 games, the Lakers have fallen to No. 10 in the Western Conference playoff race entering Friday, and their upcoming schedule is unforgiving.
The Lakers' next three games are against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the No. 2 team in the West; the West's No. 7 team in Sacramento; and the West's No. 9 team in the Golden State Warriors.
The Lakers are 5-4 this season in games James has missed.