The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing to face the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, looking to bounce back after their nine-game home winning streak was snapped by the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. The Lakers were severely shorthanded in that game, missing LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Rui Hachimura, and Austin Reaves, all sidelined due to injuries.
James has been out since March 8, when he suffered a groin injury in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics. Hachimura has also been absent for an extended period, not playing since February 28 due to a knee injury sustained against the Minnesota Timberwolves. While Doncic and Reaves have been more active in the rotation, both were ruled out against Milwaukee due to lingering issues.
Now, there is optimism regarding James' return after a new video surfaced of him getting shots up, sparking speculation about his status. In the clip, James hinted that he was ready to play against the Denver Nuggets earlier in the week, but the team's lineup decisions were already set.
"I was supposed to play yesterday [against the Denver Nuggets]," James said in the video. "I walked out there, I was already excited. Y'all already got started."
LeBron says that he was supposed to play on Tuesday against the Nuggets, but the lineup-introduction had already started. He's definitely making his return on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/vIVksWfD8J
— HiNote. (@HiNoteee) March 21, 2025
James has now missed seven consecutive games, but his return could be imminent. The latest injury report lists him as questionable for Saturday's game against Chicago, raising hopes that he may be back sooner rather than later.
At 43-26, the Lakers hold the fourth seed in the Western Conference, but remain within striking distance of the second seed. With the regular season winding down, LA will be eager to get healthy and finish strong in hopes of securing a deep playoff run.
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This story was originally published March 21, 2025 at 11:43 PM.