LeBron James misses his 18th game this season! Officially out of award contention, ending his 21-year streak of All-NBA selections.

On February 11th Beijing time, the Lakers will face the Spurs in the second game of a back-to-back, with the team severely depleted. LeBron James is confirmed to miss the game, officially ruling him out of award contention.

The team officially announced that besides Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain) being out, LeBron James (left foot arthritis), Austin Reaves (left calf injury management), and Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness) will also miss this game. Starting center Deandre Ayton is questionable due to right knee soreness.

LeBron’s absence is the most notable, marking his 18th missed game this season. This means he will not meet the 65-game minimum to qualify for end-of-season awards.

LeBron’s season stats—averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds with a 50.2% shooting percentage—have declined compared to recent years but remain All-Star worthy; had he stayed healthy and led the Lakers into the playoffs, he still had a chance to make an All-NBA team.

However, due to multiple injuries (including missing the first 14 games due to sciatica), LeBron’s historic streak of 21 consecutive seasons making an All-NBA team will come to an end.

This depleted Lakers team, after losing 110-119 at home to a Thunder squad missing Alexander, urgently needs a rebound. According to Los Angeles Times reporter Broderick Turner, LeBron said in a postgame interview that this loss shows how far the Lakers are from being a true championship contender.

“That’s a championship-caliber team, and we’re not,” LeBron said. “We can’t sustain consistent energy and focus for 48 minutes, but they can. That’s why they’re able to win championships.”