Report: LeBron James still several weeks away from returning for Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have been very shorthanded for a while, and it looks like they will continue to be shorthanded for a while longer.

LeBron James is reportedly still about three weeks away from returning to game action, as he continues to recover from a severe high ankle sprain.

James first suffered the injury three weeks ago in a contest against the Atlanta Hawks. Not surprisingly, the team has struggled mightily without him, especially on the offensive end.

L.A. has also been without fellow superstar Anthony Davis, who has been out since mid-February with a calf strain and Achilles tendonosis. However, he may be close to being able to return.

Without both of their franchise cornerstones, the Lakers have slipped to fifth place in the Western Conference.

If nothing else, they need to avoid falling to seventh place or lower, as finishing that low to end the regular season would necessitate them winning the NBA’s play-in tournament in order to make the playoffs.