LeBron James makes return from foot injury, comes off bench in Lakers’ loss to Bulls
Los Angeles Lakers star player LeBron James made his return from a right foot tendon injury on Sunday as he came off the bench in their 118-108 home defeat to the Chicago Bulls.
James scored 19 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and recorded three assists in 30 minutes, an impressive performance given that he had not played since February 26. James revealed that he received medical advice from a foot specialist, who recommended delaying surgery.
He was inspired by his team’s recent success and chemistry on the court, which prompted him to work harder to make a return before the end of the season.
Despite their recent form, the Lakers had a disappointing performance against the Bulls, who dominated early on and maintained their lead throughout the game. The Lakers currently hold the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference, and with seven games remaining, they are hoping to avoid missing out on the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
James, the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, is averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game this season.
James said that he does not know if he will need surgery after the season, but he plans to have an MRI examination once the season ends. He also said that he will be at full strength for training camp in the fall, even if he has the surgery.
James has been absent for lengthy periods due to injury in every full season during his time with the Lakers. While James returned to the court, D’Angelo Russell was ruled out for the second consecutive game due to a right hip injury.