26 March 2023 , 17:21
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The Los Angeles Lakers could be set to receive the good news that they have waited a month for with LeBron James nearing a return to the team.
The Lakers have been in excellent form as of late in winning seven of their last 10 outings, as they know that they must continue to keep winning in order to make the playoffs. Missing the post-season for the second successive season would be a severely embarrassing outcome for the Lakers, and especially on James’ legacy.
The 38-year-old has had to watch on from the sidelines throughout the past month after he suffered a right foot tendon injury on February 26.
And ahead of their game against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday evening, it has been revealed that James' status has been upgraded from out to doubtful, and then again from doubtful to questionable. This, essentially meaning James has a 50/50 chance of featuring against the Bulls.
ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowksi tweeted: "LeBron James is expected to test his foot pregame to see if he can make his return today, source says." This came in response to the news that James status had been upgraded to questionable.
LeBron James edges closer to NBA scoring record with jaw-dropping Lakers display
Prior to his injury, the Lakers had been on a tear, also winning seven of their last 10, after the team made a number of moves - which have looked to have saved their season. Before the trade deadline, the team acquired D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura - all who have been significant upgrades to the roster from previous players.
LeBron James could return on Sunday nightBut the biggest surprise has been the rise of Austin Reaves, who is averaging 23 points in his last three games - being the Lakers go-to scorer in lieu of James.
The Lakers currently sit in eighth place, which would guarantee them a spot in the playoffs, while they could also get in by finishing in the top 10 through winning a play-in game. However, it's set to be a tight race for the final few spots, with four teams only just two wins behind the Lakers with less than 10 games to go in the season.
Should James return and able to play at his usual level, the Lakers will feel confident going into the final weeks of the season to avoid ultimate embarrassment on missing out on the post-season for the second year in a row.