The Return of the King

Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press

LeBron James surprised the NBA world with his return to the court during the Lakers' Sunday matchup versus the Chicago Bulls. James had previously missed 13 games due to injuring a tendon in his right foot.

There were rumors that James would not return until the last few games of the Lakers' regular season. However, James denied all these reports over Twitter and said he's doing everything in his power to return.

There wasn’t an evaluation today and there hasn’t been any target date for my return. I’m just working around the clock, every day(3X a day) to give myself to best chance of coming back full strength whenever that is. God bless y’all sources. 🤦🏾‍♂️ I speak for myself!

— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 23, 2023

James and coach Darvin Ham mutually agreed that it was best for him to come off the bench for his first game back. It was only the second time in his NBA career coming off the bench. Although he came off the bench, he faced no minute restrictions and played 30 minutes in his first game.

James also led the Lakers in scoring with 19 points, eight rebounds, and three assists while shooting 6 for 11 from the field. However, even with the return of the all-time leading scorer, the Lakers still fell to the Bulls 118-108.

The Lakers continue to come out with a lackluster approach to the game. Anthony Davis only shot eight field goals, which is unacceptable in must-win games at the end of the season. This loss has pushed the Lakers back down to the ninth seed in the NBA with a record of 37-38. The Lakers still have time to move up in the seeding, but they need to show more fight.