LeBron James makes his Lakers return from private causes absence

LeBron James returned to the Lakers’ lineup Sunday night time after lacking their final two video games on account of private causes and a left foot damage, and whereas he advised reporters he felt “fairly good,” the 40-year-old famous person additionally revealed that his foot damage hasn’t light but.

“It’s not behind me,” James advised reporters after the Lakers’ 116-110 win over the Grizzlies, in accordance with The Athletic. “It’s an on a regular basis factor.”

James added that he has handled the foot damage for just a few years, the outlet reported.

Head coach JJ Redick had beforehand described his “private causes” absence as an excused one.

Redick advised reporters Wednesday that James — who missed his first sport of the season Dec. 8 in opposition to the Path Blazers — wasn’t with the crew and would “take a while” earlier than returning, and that included a second missed sport Friday in opposition to the Timberwolves.

However he returned Sunday and completed with 18 factors on 7-for-17 capturing, although that didn’t assist a scoring common (23.0 factors per sport coming into the night time) on tempo to be James’ lowest mark since his rookie season (20.9).

At one level throughout this latest stoop, James missed 20 consecutive 3-pointers, although he linked on 6-of-11 photographs from past the arc throughout his last sport earlier than the two-game absence and added one other three 3s on Sunday.

“I felt my foot, felt my physique … I did my pregame exercise on that Sunday for the Portland sport and determined it was in all probability finest if I took that time without work,” James advised reporters, in accordance with the AP. “I had the chance to take extra days and get my thoughts, physique and simply every thing the place I needed to be for tonight, and it labored out.”

James, whose son Bronny was drafted by Los Angeles within the second spherical of the 2024 NBA Draft and has shuttled between the NBA and G League, and the Lakers (14-12) don’t play once more till Thursday, once they journey to face the Kings.

“It’s very uncommon all through the course of the season the place you’ll be able to benefit from the schedule,” James advised reporters Sunday, “and I used to be ready to do this the previous week.”