Lakers News

Report: Lakers upgrade LeBron James’ status for Sunday’s matchup vs. Bulls

Published by
Orel Dizon

After a lengthy absence, LeBron James seems set to return to the court for the Los Angeles Lakers soon.

There have been questions surrounding the superstar’s recovery, and whether he can come back to the court before the regular season ends has been on a lot of folks’ minds lately. But a recent report shows that James has been upgraded from doubtful to questionable to play for Los Angeles’ bout versus the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.

The 38-year-old has not appeared in a Lakers uniform since late February, missing the team’s last 13 contests. While his teammates have definitely missed him on the court, they have actually done well in his absence.

The squad is in a better shape than when James last played. Los Angeles was 29-32 and outside the playoff picture when the four-time MVP went down after exacerbating his right foot injury. But it has gone 8-5 during that stretch to climb the standings and earn the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

The Lakers are likely excited to have their leader suiting up instead of watching from the sidelines.

Despite being one of the NBA’s elder statesmen, James has continued to cement his place among the league’s elite with his sublime performance this season. In 47 games in the 2022-23 campaign, he has averaged 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game while shooting 50.1 percent from the field.

One of the questions that might be surrounding the 19-time All-Star’s potential return on Sunday is how the coaching staff would adjust the team’s rotation and game plans. Without James, the Lakers have heavily relied on Anthony Davis. The star big man has done admirably, recording 27.3 points, 12.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks during the 13-game span.

Of course, other players have also stepped up, including D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt.

Austin Reaves also deserves special mention as he has scored in double figures in the last 10 games, averaging 18.9 points and 6.4 assists per match in that stretch. He has also been promoted to the starting lineup in the past two contests.

The Lakers organization and its fans are likely hoping that the team can continue its strong showing and move up further in the standings to earn an outright playoff berth, which seemed implausible earlier in the season.

Orel Dizon

Orel is excited about the prospect of “Showtime Lakers” making a comeback, thanks to the presence of the King and the arrival of the Brow.

Published by
Orel Dizon

Recent Posts

Ex-teammate of Kobe and Shaq reacts to ‘BS’ narrative about Bryant being O’Neal’s sidekick

Gilbert Arenas is a self-described fan of Kobe Bryant, but he turned some heads when…

December 22, 2024

Jordan and Shaq’s ex-teammate discredits LeBron’s ‘bubble’ ring after he’s called Lakers legend

The Los Angeles Lakers have sky-high expectations compared to the lion's share of other NBA…

December 21, 2024

‘LeBron makes the trades’: Carmelo Anthony speaks out on chances of Lakers dealing LeBron James

Amid chatter about the future of 20-time All-Star LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers,…

December 20, 2024

DeMarcus Cousins says he and Anthony Davis would’ve helped Pelicans become contenders if not for ‘dumba-s’ Dell Demps

Former All-Star big man DeMarcus Cousins called out former New Orleans Pelicans general manager Dell…

December 19, 2024

Darvin Ham fires massive shot at Lakers: ‘Anywhere else I’m probably looking at an extension’

Darvin Ham has had more NBA Cup success than any coach in the league since…

December 18, 2024

Bobby Portis on the difference between the Bucks and the Lakers: ‘We’re not Hollywood’

The Milwaukee Bucks captured the 2024 NBA Cup title with a 97-81 victory over the…

December 18, 2024