LOS ANGELES — LeBron James knew almost right away the injury he suffered on Christmas would be the worst of his career.



“They told us three weeks was the best-case scenario,” James’ agent, Rich Paul, told The Athletic on Monday. “And then after three weeks, if he’s able to play, he’ll play.”



Today marks three weeks since James felt a pop in his groin in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 127-101 thrashing of the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers said the injury was a strain and their superstar was “day to day;” James himself tweeted that he had dodged a bullet.



For LeBron and for his team, it’s been much more serious.



“I’m handling it as well as I can,” James told The Athletic on Sunday, on his way to get in some running before the Lakers-Cavs game.



“Mentally, he’s getting there. If there’s one guy you don’t want to get hurt,...