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Los Angeles Lakers star and reigning NBA Finals MVP LeBron James has missed the past 20 games since suffering a high-ankle sprain back on March 20. For one of the greatest of all-time, this represents the longest absence of his career.
Now, it appears that King James and the Lakers have some good news. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the four-time NBA champion could return Friday evening against the conference-rival Sacramento Kings.
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As the NBA insider notes, LeBron James will test his ankle ahead of the matchup and will be a game-time decision. If he does not return Friday, it seems likely James will be back on the court for Sunday’s outing against the Toronto Raptors.
The defending champion Lakers hit a rut once James went down to injury. They are a mere 8-12 in the 20 games he’s missed after posting a 28-14 record before James’ unfortunate ankle injury.
The timing of his return is no small thing. The Lakers currently boast a 36-26 record and are the fifth seed in the Western Conference with just over two weeks to go before the end of the regular season. In fact, they are just two games ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers in hopes of avoiding a spot in the play-in tournament.
Prior to going down to injury, LeBron James was averaging 25.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.9 assist per game. The 36-year-old forward is still playing at an incredibly high level.