It's been two weeks and seven games since Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James last played in an NBA game.
The 40-year-old forward suffered a groin injury in L.A.'s 111-101 loss to the Boston Celtics back on March 8, and he's been out of the lineup ever since. The Lakers were 3-4 without him.
Though Los Angeles averaged 111.5 points per game in James' absence, the team wasn't as effective as it was with James on the floor, and the Lakers had four different leading scorers in the seven games that James missed - Luka Doncic (three times), Austin Reaves (twice), Gabe Vincent, and Dalton Knecht.
But less than an hour before tipoff for Saturday's matchup against the Chicago Bulls, Lakers fans got some good news as the team announced that James was set to make his return to the lineup.
Starters are #SuitingUpTogether | @ToyotaSoCalpic.twitter.com/1gMrgYveex
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 23, 2025
ESPN's Shams Charania first reported the news roughly 30 minutes before the team's tweet.
"After sustaining a groin strain two weeks ago, Lakers star LeBron James will return tonight against the Chicago Bulls," Charania tweeted.
After sustaining a groin strain two weeks ago, Lakers star LeBron James will return tonight against the Chicago Bulls.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 23, 2025
James' return comes less than an hour after the Lakers announced that Doncic and Reaves would also return after missing Thursday's 118-89 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Lakers haven't had James (25 points per game), Doncic (26.5 ppg) and Reaves (19.6 ppg)-their top three leading scorers-on the court at the same time since that March 8 loss to the Celtics.
The loss to Milwaukee snapped Los Angeles' three-game winning streak. Prior to that, the team lost four straight after an eight-game win streak - a stretch many believe was L.A.'s best basketball of the season.
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This story was originally published March 22, 2025 at 7:26 PM.