Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James returned to the lineup for Sunday’s 116-110 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
James started the contest after missing the previous two games with foot soreness, finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Lakers big man Anthony Davis dropped a game-high 40 points to go along with 16 rebounds.
Head coach JJ Redick said Friday he was unsure when the 39-year-old would be back.
James was absent from the Lakers’ facilities all week with an “excused absence.” Redick said before Sunday’s game that it was important for James to get over a week off to rest, according to Lakers Nation’s Daniel Starkand.
“When I talked to him earlier this week, I think I said something along those lines, just hoping that he was getting the mind and body reset, and he said he felt like he was,” Redick said.
The first-year coach said earlier in the week that L.A. will be more mindful of the four-time MVP’s health and durability for the remainder of the season due to James feeling the effects of playing a lot of minutes.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is in Year 22 and was averaging 23 points, eight rebounds, and 9.1 assists while still logging 35 minutes a night through 23 games ahead of Sunday’s action.
“For guys like him and (Chris Paul), the Tom Bradys of the world, the Roger Federers of the world, it’s hard to comprehend having that level of sustained excellence for so long because of the toll that it takes on all of you,” Redick said pregame Sunday, per Starkand. “Not just your body.”
The Lakers went 1-1 without James. They improved to 14-12 with Sunday’s win and sit 10th in the West.
Los Angeles will travel to Sacramento to face the Kings on Thursday.
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