Lebron James Rejoins Lakers for Season-Ending Effort

White Frame Corner White Frame Corner

[{"selector":"#anim-aff9d3b3-380f-4f69-a33c-20e645470643","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-96cf2f06-7316-4cc2-9a3e-db2a650e66f4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(101.77665%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-48239948-baf6-4697-83b4-679dd13daa58","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bb5194d7-7915-41ab-9873-ff0de8e9b524","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] LeBron James says doctors recommended surgery for a torn tendon, but he will continue playing for the Lakers.

[{"selector":"#anim-d50f2751-85f0-4c41-a74d-6f34c47667db","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ad61333-c3e6-4120-812c-0ba4628e5c0e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Multiple Blue Rings James led the Lakers with 19 points in his return after a monthlong absence due to injury. Burst

[{"selector":"#anim-d59e7f37-f929-4692-b15c-726f980f7d7f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-11d9dce3-f5b3-4a72-a06a-b4d66b5300d8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(101.77665%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ff63c2c-a9cd-4a9a-b8e4-4b0ea9ebf44a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-039f13e7-5973-4990-b26b-ef40977adfc4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Despite his injury, James is determined to help the Lakers avoid missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year. Lebron James Rejoins

[{"selector":"#anim-6b47e447-6b6c-4833-8e9d-ff21c7760ab2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f9213f3-86e4-48cd-bf3d-bb753d31bd9c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Multiple Blue Rings James' teammates' excellent play during his absence and his fast healing process factored into his decision. Burst

[{"selector":"#anim-dc114eab-cc4d-4a6f-8acd-42292f3c418b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-64f54ef2-28fe-4443-85ba-9c4ea761830f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(101.77665%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cf99e632-bf3e-4142-b722-09e42f6f5e40","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dd64464f-1b00-4028-95f6-2a131e1cd97c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] An unnamed foot specialist gave James a third opinion that led him to delay possible surgery.

[{"selector":"#anim-5dff0388-37e7-4d10-8920-5d0c80d9bdc1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b18d1ec-33bd-4490-ae60-ca1508a458a2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Multiple Blue Rings James had only played in one game as a reserve in his 20-year NBA career prior to Sunday's game. Burst Lebron James Rejoins

[{"selector":"#anim-a9385380-e625-4122-a12c-d0edf930cc5b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-22e2c666-0f6e-46da-8279-0b4eef9f3bc6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(101.77665%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ac960b7-48dd-40c5-873f-eb9a276a97fe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-311015b5-bcad-446a-b195-6c1ab915ddbd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] James is averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in his fifth season with the Lakers.

[{"selector":"#anim-b8d1111c-ccee-4893-bf21-9c6b38120406","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-de51c312-8ddd-428c-9f50-6820fedbd137","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Multiple Blue Rings The Lakers had a rough performance against the Bulls in James' return game. Burst

[{"selector":"#anim-7a352b98-c6bb-4ecd-a4dd-5d74ee5fc727","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d3bf6611-c294-4591-87f7-7636becf9621","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(101.77665%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6c1905c3-055e-4bd5-87f2-dc93cb747c33","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4033dac5-c845-4045-822d-4e0876cd00ad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] James doesn't know if he'll need surgery after the season, but he expects to have an MRI exam. Lebron James Rejoins

[{"selector":"#anim-a24f549a-3825-476b-88d5-3dabd04fec87","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-628dd487-7f7e-4429-9c1d-7e5adb3a5ebe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(101.77665%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aafd5c3b-0689-4175-bfb1-8f1c9b1bf255","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5821d2f6-bbbc-43a9-a02c-15454aa67b49","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] James kept the details of his recovery under wraps and missed five games earlier this season due to injury.

[{"selector":"#anim-05e73c1d-3a9c-42da-82b3-6c28b45d6529","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bca93f8d-9cba-4a53-8bf9-9f743c44080c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(101.77665%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df871a17-a3b3-49eb-a284-3f6d515b25c7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-60f85b06-d401-46f8-997e-c25d3d63c7df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The Lakers could finally have their full roster available for the final stretch of the season. Lebron James Rejoins

Lebron James Rejoins Lakers for Season-Ending Effort

LeBron James returns for season-ending push with Lakers