The Los Angeles Lakers have lost three of their last five games played, and forwards LeBron James and Rui Hachimura have been sidelined for the entirety of that stretch.
James suffered a groin injury against the Boston Celtics on March 8 and hasn’t played since.
Conversely, Hachimura last suited up against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb. 27. and exited that game early with a knee injury.
Though on the bright side, Lakers insider Jovan Buha provided an update that indicates James and Hachimura could return to the floor for the storied franchise sooner rather than later. According to him, James and Hachimura could come back “by the end of the week.”
“But while the results haven’t always been there, the Lakers are trusting their new offensive process,” Buha wrote. “[Luka] Dončić is an offense unto himself, and it takes time to incorporate that type of talent 50-plus games into a season. Once James and Rui Hachimura return, which could be by the end of the week, the Lakers will be well-positioned to finally reach their offensive ceiling.”
The Lakers have been a feast-or-famine team in the month of March to this point. The team started off by winning its first three games of the month and extending its winning streak at the time to eight games overall. But Los Angeles then proceeded to lose its next four games, starting with a loss to Boston.
However, after dropping four games in a row earlier in the month, the Lakers have since won their last two contests and picked up a win over the San Antonio Spurs in their most recent contest on Monday. Los Angeles won by 16 points, and Doncic put together a brilliant all-around performance. He nearly racked up a triple-double with 21 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds.
The return of James and Hachimura to the fold is likely to aid the Lakers in the Western Conference playoff race. With 15 games left in their regular season, the Lakers are only one game behind the Houston Rockets for the No. 2 seed in the West. The No. 1 seed is all but officially out of reach, however, as Los Angeles sits 13.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
What James brings to the table when at full strength is well-documented, but Hachimura has been instrumental to Los Angeles’ success this season as well. He’s provided the team with effective and efficient scoring at the forward spot, as he’s averaging 13.3 points per game while shooting 50.6 percent from the floor and 41.0 percent from 3-point range in his second full season with the team.