LeBron James made his return to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, contributing to a 116-100 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
It came after an eight-day break to address soreness in his left foot. Despite his initial reluctance to step away from the court, James admitted he needed convincing to take the time off.
“If it was up to just me, I probably would’ve played,” James said after the game.
“It would’ve been hard to keep me away from it. I have a team and I got to listen to them as well. They look out for my best interest.”
James entered the season with the goal of playing all 82 games in his 22nd year in the NBA, but his foot soreness, combined with the Lakers’ relatively light schedule, gave him an opportunity to focus on recovery.
He returned to action with an impressive performance, posting 18 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 blocks in 34 minutes.
Final 📊
AD: 40 pts, 16 reb, 2 stl
AR: 19 pts, 8 ast, 2 stl
Bron: 18 pts, 8 reb, 8 ast pic.twitter.com/nLXnl9bqe3— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 16, 2024
Lakers head coach JJ Redick noted that James’ absence was attributed to personal reasons, and he left the star to manage his time off as needed.
Redick said he wasn’t aware of how James spent the week but respected the process.
James explained that his time away was filled with rehab and preparation to stay in shape.
He said: “A lot of rehabbing, a lot of training still to make sure that I was ready to go tonight. Didn’t want to get too much out of shape.
“I had an opportunity to take more days and get my mind, body, and everything where I wanted it to be for tonight. And it worked out.”
James made an immediate impact in the first quarter, showcasing his energy with a dunk, a chase-down block on Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, and a tip-in, all within 19 seconds.
Beyond the highlight plays, James’ defensive leadership played a pivotal role as the Lakers held Memphis to just 39.2% shooting from the field and forced 21 turnovers.
Game. On. pic.twitter.com/d0vD0iMVJ0
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 16, 2024
Before Sunday, James had been averaging 23 points on 49.5% shooting, 9.1 assists, and 8 rebounds. As James approaches his 40th birthday later this month, Redick and the team remain mindful of managing his workload.
Redick explained that rather than reducing James’ minutes, he plans to adjust his rotations for shorter bursts of play, allowing for quicker recovery during games.
“Not necessarily less minutes, but shorter runs so that he’s not getting gassed and then quicker segments on the bench and then he’s back in,” Redick said.
In his return, Redick also experimented with a new starting lineup, featuring Max Christie alongside James, Davis, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura.
Christie played a key role defensively, holding Grizzlies star Ja Morant to 6-for-21 shooting and forcing 7 turnovers.
