LeBron James went down with an ankle injury back in March and since that time, the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled mightily. Now, however, LeBron is officially back in the lineup and last night, he got to play his first game since the injury. In the end, he was able to muster 16 points all while picking up eight rebounds and another seven assists. Despite these efforts, the Lakers could not win the game as they fell to the Sacramento Kings by four points.
After the game, LeBron spoke to reporters about his performance and how he felt by the end of the game. As LeBron notes, he hasn't practiced much with the team which could be a contributing factor as to why he couldn't do more.
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“I haven’t played in a game in six weeks,” James said via ClutchPoints. “No contact, no 5-on-5. I’ve been doing a bunch of individual workouts and a lot of running, trying to keep my heart rate going, my conditioning going. For my first game in six weeks, I felt OK. As far as my wind, I felt pretty good. My ankle was a little tight at times, obviously just doing different movements, different things that I haven’t done in a game situation in six weeks. I think as the games go on that will continue to improve. But I came out unscathed.”
There is still plenty of time before the playoffs for LeBron to find his rhythm. Fans should know by now that playoff LeBron is a totally different beast and we're sure he will be motivated to go after that fifth title.