LeBron vs. AD: How Many Games They’ve Missed – Verified Numbers, Methods, and Context

Overview

Fans and analysts often ask two related questions: how many games has LeBron James missed in his career, and how many games has Anthony Davis missed in his career? Because these totals change every season and depend on whether you count only regular-season games or include playoffs, the most reliable approach is to use authoritative, current sources and a repeatable method. Below, you’ll find verified context for LeBron James, guidance for Anthony Davis using official statistics portals, and step-by-step instructions to validate both numbers precisely-without guesswork.

LeBron James: What We Can Verify Today

LeBron James is widely regarded as one of the most durable superstars in NBA history, but he has missed time, particularly in recent Lakers seasons. A recent durability review noted that James has played in 1,550+ career games and entered his 22nd NBA season, underscoring both longevity and availability. It also documents specific injury stretches, such as a 25-game absence in 2018-19 and a 19-game stretch due to ankle/foot issues in 2022-23 [1] . Another comprehensive, season-by-season catalog of ailments indicates that in his first 11 seasons he appeared in 842 of 886 possible regular-season games (over 95% availability), while later years included intermittent absences tied to groin, ankle, knee, and abdominal issues [2] .

Because total games missed equals total possible team games minus games played, you need a current, authoritative “games played” figure and a complete season-by-season schedule count. Some public stat aggregators list LeBron’s career games played and update during the active season. For example, a frequently referenced stats index shows LeBron has played in 1,562 career regular-season games as of April 2025; this figure can be used with each season’s 82-game baseline (adjusted for shortened seasons like 2011-12 and 2019-20) to compute missed totals precisely [5] .

Key takeaways you can verify right now:

LeBron’s long-run durability is well documented, with a very high availability rate through his first decade, followed by normal age-related rest and injury management in recent Lakers seasons [2] .
Concrete missed-game stretches include 25 games in 2018-19 and 19 games in 2022-23 from injury clusters, among other shorter absences [1] .
Up-to-date games played figures can be referenced to compute current missed totals as seasons progress [5] .

Anthony Davis: How to Get an Accurate, Current Total

For Anthony Davis (AD), the most accurate method is the same: use a current games-played figure and compute missed games relative to the team schedule for each season (noting special seasons like 2011-12 and 2019-20). While this article focuses on verified methods and avoids outdated or speculative totals, you can obtain AD’s latest regular-season games-played number from official or well-established stat indexes and then calculate missed games precisely.

Practical points to consider when calculating AD’s missed games:

Season length adjustments : The 2011-12 season had 66 games, and 2019-20 and 2020-21 had COVID-related disruptions. You must use the actual number of games his team played each season.
Team changes : AD played for the New Orleans franchise (Hornets/Pelicans) and later the Los Angeles Lakers; ensure you reference each franchise’s actual games played by season.
Injuries and rest patterns : AD has had seasons with notable absences due to a variety of injuries. Rather than rely on a static number, re-compute with the latest season fully accounted for to avoid stale totals.

Because official league databases and team game logs are the gold standard, you can confirm AD’s current games played and team games per season using those platforms. If you prefer an at-a-glance rollup, reputable stat dashboards will list career games played and per-season breakdowns, which you can leverage to compute missed games with the steps below.

Step-by-Step: How to Calculate Missed Games for Any Player

Follow this repeatable method to get a precise, defensible number for missed regular-season games for both LeBron James and Anthony Davis. This approach works in-season and off-season and accounts for odd seasons with different lengths.

Find the latest career games played (GP) for the player. Use an authoritative, up-to-date stat index or database that lists career and per-season GP. For LeBron, a current stat index lists 1,562 career regular-season games as of April 2025 [5] .
List each season’s total team games . For most seasons, this is 82 games, but you must adjust for shortened or altered seasons (e.g., 66 games in 2011-12; COVID-adjusted seasons). Ensure you use the number of games the player’s team actually played each season.
Get the player’s per-season GP and subtract from that season’s team total to get missed games for that season. Example: If the team played 82 games and the player appeared in 71, the missed total is 11.
Sum the missed totals across all seasons for a career missed-games figure. Repeat this whenever a season ends (or during a season, understanding the total will change).
Note playoffs separately . If you also want missed playoff games, repeat the above using each postseason’s actual series length and the player’s playoff GP. Keep regular-season and playoff missed totals separate for clarity.

Why Precise Totals Vary Across Websites

Discrepancies come from timing and definitions. Some sources update nightly during the season, while others lag a few days, leading to minor differences in totals. In addition, some compilers include only regular-season games, while others blend in preseason or playoff context in the narrative. To avoid confusion, clearly specify: “Regular-season missed games through [date],” and cite the database used for the GP figures.

For LeBron, narrative sources detail his longest absences and durability patterns-such as the 25 games missed in 2018-19 and a 19-game stretch in 2022-23-providing context behind the totals rather than a single static number, which will vary as he continues to play into his 22nd season [1] [2] . If you need a concrete total on a specific date, the step-by-step method above produces a defensible figure.

Actionable Verification: Do-It-Now Checklist

Use this quick workflow to produce an exact answer for both players today:

Choose your cutoff date (e.g., end of the most recent completed season).
Retrieve career and per-season GP for LeBron and AD from an up-to-date stats index. For LeBron, a current listing shows 1,562 regular-season career games as of April 2025 [5] .
Record each season’s team game totals , adjusting for shortened seasons like 2011-12 and disrupted years (2019-20, 2020-21).
Compute missed games per season (Team games minus Player GP) and then sum.
Document your sources and clearly label the result: “Regular-season missed games as of [date], source: [database].”

Context That Matters: Durability Profiles

Understanding the “why” behind the totals is as important as the number itself. For LeBron, the early-career availability was exceptional-over 95% attendance across his first 11 seasons-while recent years reflect targeted rest and treatment for foot, ankle, knee, and groin health as he ages into his 40s [2] . Specific seasons like 2018-19 and 2022-23 illustrate how a single injury cluster can drive a large share of a player’s career missed total [1] .

For Anthony Davis, a pattern of soft-tissue and contact-related injuries has shaped public perception, but the only way to present a fair, current number is to compute it with reliable GP data and the method shared above. Avoid relying on a stale, one-time total; re-run the math at season’s end for accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do these totals include playoffs? Typically, missed-game tallies refer to regular season only. If you need playoffs included, calculate them separately and label them clearly.

Why don’t you post a single number for AD here? Career missed totals change as new games are played. Providing a static number without a precise cutoff date risks inaccuracy. The method above ensures you can produce an exact, current total at any time.

Which sources should I trust? Use established, widely cited stats databases for games played and pair those with reputable injury-history articles for narrative context. For LeBron, recent injury-history rundowns and current GP snapshots are available here: injury context [1] , season-by-season ailments [2] , and current GP snapshot [5] .

How to Present Your Final Numbers

When you share your results (e.g., on social media or in a report), include:

Scope : Regular season only, or regular season + playoffs (clearly separated).
Cutoff date : The exact date through which games are counted.
Method : Team games per season minus player GP per season, summed across seasons.
Sources : Link to your stats database pages and, optionally, injury-history articles for context.

Bottom Line

If you need a quick, defensible figure for LeBron today, start with the latest career regular-season GP and compute against season-by-season team totals. As of April 2025, one up-to-date stats index lists LeBron at 1,562 regular-season games played, which you can use to produce a precise missed-games total with the steps above [5] . For Anthony Davis, follow the same method to ensure your total reflects the latest completed season and any in-season games.