LeBron James has now missed two games with an ankle injury that he sustained during the Los Angeles Lakers' win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The four-time league MVP missed the win over San Antonio Spurs and the shock loss to Oklahoma City Thunder, where his team blew a 26-point lead.

Frank Vogel has made it clear that they are taking a "marathon approach" with James' injury and the Lakers star is not going to be rushed back to action. The Purple and Gold take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night and the 36-year-old has been listed as questionable.

"He just got evaluated by the medical team (and) there was some soreness," Vogel said Tuesday. "We're taking the marathon approach of holding him out."

"We're going to see how he feels. He's just day-to-day and he'll get evaluated again tomorrow, see what the soreness is like and make a decision then."

James spent a considerable amount of time on the sidelines last season with an ankle injury. While Vogel confirmed that the injury is on the same leg, he made it clear that it was not a relapse of his previous injury and that it was on a different spot.

The Lakers have made a poor start to the season, having lost three of their five games. Anthony Davis is getting back to his best, averaging 28.4 points and 11.6 rebounds, but Russell Westbrook - the third member of the Lakers Big three - has had a mixed start despite notching his first triple-double in the loss to Thunder.

Vogel will be hoping James returns at the earliest, but he will not want to lose the four-time NBA champion for a longer period. Apart from the former Miami Heat star, Vogel is also sweating over the fitness of Wayne Ellington and Rajon Rondo, who are listed as questionable and Davis, who is listed probable with right knee soreness, according to Lakers Nation.

Russell Westbrook
LeBron James Russell Westbrook Lakers Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images