LeBron James injury update: “He went through all the non-contact… Looked pretty good”
LA Lakers coach Darvin Ham has provided a positive LeBron James injury update. James sustained an adductor strain during the Lakers' 114-101 loss against crosstown rivals LA Clippers on Wednesday, November 9th.
James has missed the Lakers' last three games since then.
LA managed to win one game during that stretch. They beat the Brooklyn Nets 116-103 in his absence on Sunday, November 13th. The Lakers aim to string together a winning run, and his presence will be crucial in bolstering their chances of executing that.
The latest LeBron James injury update from coach Ham suggests the former's recovery is trending in the right direction. Here's what Ham said after Wednesday's (November 16th) practice (via Spectrum SportsNet):
"He went through all the non-contact stuff. He looked pretty good too. So we just keep playing that... day-to-day and see where he's at."
LeBron did a non-contact practice and is listed day-to-day. Thomas Bryant and Dennis Schröder practiced and are listed as probable for Friday. https://t.co/5CyIznlJ40
James received a prolonged break after suffering the injury. The Lakers had a four-day break between their last game and Friday's (November 18th) contest. After sitting out three games, James has had at least eight days to recover.
He also sustained a foot injury to begin the year but played through it. James said he needed rest to recover from the issue, but with the Lakers struggling, he couldn't afford to sit on the sidelines. It may have limited him from playing to his potential.
LA Lakers will hope prolonged rest helps LeBron James perform better
LeBron James didn't seem as comfortable on multiple occasions. The Lakers star is averaging 24.9 points on 45.7% field goal shooting, the latter being his lowest mark since his rookie year. However, he has attempted only 4.8 free throws per game.
James has operated away from the basket frequently. He has also looked passive, focusing more on getting others going. James was on a roll during last week's 114-101 loss against the Clippers before the adductor injury occurred.
He dropped 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists. The Lakers will be hoping LeBron James can continue playing at that level and stay healthy after a prolonged break.
James had to sit out a bunch of games at the start of last season as well after sustaining an abdominal injury. However, once he returned, the four-time NBA MVP managed to put together one of his best scoring seasons. He averaged 30.3 points per game on the year and almost secured his second-career scoring title.