The Lakers’ latest update on LeBron James signifies a return is right around the corner

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel offered a positive update on LeBron James’ rehabilitation, saying that the veteran is “looking good” physically.

James suffered an abdominal strain during the Lakers’ Nov. 2 game against the Houston Rockets and has missed his team’s last five games.

The fact that the 36-year-old James appears to be looking good from a physical standpoint shouldn’t come as a surprise to those that have followed the superstar’s career.

That’s because James has always been intensely focused on staying in shape, even during the offseason. One indication of just how much that dedication has paid off can be seen in the fact that the veteran is currently in the midst of his 19th NBA season.

In addition to that lengthy span of play in the NBA, James’ regular appearances in the postseason over the years constitute more than three full seasons of regular season play.

In the six games this season that James played in prior to his injury, he didn’t appear to be showing any signs of slowing down. Besides averaging 37.0 minutes per contest, he’s also averaging 24.8 points, 7.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.

While James’ field-goal percentage has slipped to 46.7 percent, his success rate from the free-throw line has seen an uptick at 78.3 percent.