Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham provided a positive update on LeBron James as the superstar nears a return to help the team reach the playoffs.
James sustained an ill-timed foot injury a few weeks ago which threatened to derail the Lakers’ push to the postseason just as they gained some momentum. However, the Lakers have continued to stay in the mix and they secured a crucial 111-105 win over the Orlando Magic at the Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night.
Before the game, Ham suggested James is set to return as the 10th-place Lakers hope to climb the Western Conference. Ahead of the match with the Magic, Ham said of James: “We anticipate him coming back at some point [this season].”
While there is no timetable or specific date circled, the 49-year-old clearly indicated Los Angeles expect James back on court before the end of the regular season. The Lakers have just 10 games remaining in the regular season and the team currently occupy the final NBA play-in tournament place in the west, although they are only narrowly ahead of the Utah Jazz.
James suffered the frustrating injury in the second half against the Dallas Mavericks on 26 February and has been sidelined since. The 19-time All-Star has missed 11 games, with the Lakers having gone 6-5 in his absence.
James has missed 25 games this season due to injury and other issues, and while it’s unclear when he will return, the four-time MVP is reportedly doing everything he can to speed up his recovery process. On Friday, Ham told reporters James is doing ‘intense’ workouts three times a day and was progressing ‘according to plan’.
Adding James to the starting five would add major firepower to the Lakers down the stretch as he has proven to be their best player in 2022/23. He is currently averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 47 games while shooting 50.1 per cent from the floor and 30.8 per cent from deep.
With the Purple-and-Gold’s season coming down to the wire in terms of their hunt for a playoff or play-in seed, James’ availability could be a critical component in determining whether or not the team misses the playoffs for the second successive season. Anthony Davis has struggled with the burden of being the team’s leader, although Austin Reaves dropped 35 points to lead the Lakers past the Magic.
The 35-37 Lakers face the Phoenix Suns in their next contest on Wednesday night. The Suns possess a 38-33 record and sit fourth in the Western Conference - six places above Los Angeles.
