The Los Angeles Lakers are finally going to be at (virtually) full strength on Saturday night. This is after the team announced that they will be able to field their usual starting five against the Chicago Bulls.
The biggest development centers around LeBron James, who will now make his return to action after suffering a groin injury two weeks ago. The Lakers also confirmed that Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are both available to play and will be joining James in the starting lineup.
The same is the case for forward Rui Hachimura, who has also been cleared to play against Chicago after missing 10 straight games with a knee injury.
Before the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick provided an important update on Hachimura, who is set to be on a minutes limit for the next few contests. According to Redick, the 6-foot-8 power forward is expected to be limited to 20-24 minutes "for a few games," per Underdog NBA on X.
This is no surprise, considering how much time Hachimura had to miss due to his knee problem. However, his return to the court is a huge development for L.A.
Hachimura, who has started all 50 games he's played this season, averages 13.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, while also knocking down 1.7 triples on a 41.0% clip.
The Lakers enter Saturday's showdown against the Bulls with a 43-26 record and two games behind the Houston Rockets (46-25) for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference.
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This story was originally published March 22, 2025 at 8:45 PM.