The Los Angeles Lakers are shorthanded right now, but some big help may be around the corner.
Head coach Frank Vogel is optimistic about the prognosis of LeBron James as he recovers from an ab injury.
Frank Vogel had what appears to be a positive update on LeBron:
“His rehab is progressing nicely … this does not seem like it’s (going to be) an extended stretch.”
LeBron will miss a 5th straight game tonight, but Vogel added that he’s “Truly day-to-day.”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) November 13, 2021
James is in his 19th NBA season and is still putting his usual strong numbers. Many have been concerned about his mileage and wear and tear, but it is too early to definitively say he has become truly injury-prone.
The Lakers initially said he would be out for at least a week. However, Dr. Tim DiFrancesco, the team’s former strength and conditioning coach, speculated that the superstar could miss a month or two.
L.A. is also without other key pieces such as guard Kendrick Nunn, wing Talen Horton-Tucker and forward Trevor Ariza.
In addition, rookie guard Austin Reaves, who has impressed many and become a fan favorite, is out with a strained hamstring.
Without James, the Lakers have struggled, but the team may be starting to figure things out. L.A. got an overtime win against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, then defeated the Miami Heat on Wednesday despite being down by a sizable margin in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers’ schedule will start to get tougher soon, with games against good and great teams such as the Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks in the next couple of weeks.
The team will need to start getting healthy in order to take off and make progress towards becoming a championship contender.
