LeBron James remains ‘out indefinitely’: Five takeaways from Lakers’ loss to Wizards
There is a sense in the Lakers universe that all will be right when LeBron James returns.
Now when James comes back to play remains the mystery.
But in the meantime, all the Lakers can do is wonder what life will be like when James is back on the court after sitting out with a right ankle injury.
The Lakers play again Friday night against the Sacramento Kings, but there is no assurance James will play then.
“You know what, I don’t think my brain can process what opportunities will come from him being on the floor,” new Lakers center Andre Drummond said about James. “Right now, we can’t control him being in there. We gotta worry about the guys that are playing right now, so we just gotta worry about building chemistry with them, and when he does come, I’m sure great things will happen for everybody.”
In the Lakers’ win at Orlando on Monday, Montrezl Harrell unleashed all the energy he had stored up from not playing in Saturday’s loss at Dallas.
Five takeaways from the Lakers’ 116-107 loss to the Washington Wizards.
1. When will LeBron James return to play was the main question Lakers coach Frank Vogel was asked before his team played the Wizards Wednesday night.
Vogel’s answer stayed the same, and that is that James remains “out indefinitely.”
James has missed 20 games with a right ankle injury. But he traveled with the Lakers on their four-game trip and got in a few workouts in the process. However, James still hasn’t practiced with his teammates.
The Lakers return home to play the Kings on Friday night at Staples center and then host the Denver Nuggets Sunday.
Naturally, Vogel was asked if James would play this weekend.
“He’ll tell me when he’s ready,” Vogel said during his pre-game Zoom with the media. “He and the medical team will tell me when he’s ready. They’re having conversations about it each day. They are monitoring his progression each day, seeing where he’s at and when he’s ready to play, he’ll play. But, uh, I don’t have anything for you other than that.”
Since the Lakers play back-to-back games this weekend at Staples Center, Toronto on Sunday and Denver on Monday, Vogel was asked if it was possible for James to play in just one of those two games.
“We’ll be able to answer that question when he returns,” Vogel said. “I can’t answer that right now.”
James was injured on March 20, when Hawks forward Solomon Hill barreled into the Lakers’ forward right leg, giving him a high ankle injury.
Including that loss to the Hawks, the Lakers have gone 8-13 since James was hurt.
The Lakers have 10 regular-season games left, and so Vogel was asked if James would play before their last game on May 16 at New Orleans.
“He’s still out indefinitely,” Vogel said. “That’s all I got for you.”
The Lakers fall to the Wizards 116-107 on Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
2. Montrezl Harrell had another efficient night as the backup center behind starter Drummond.
Harrell made all five of his shots in scoring 12 points.
Harrell played just two minutes 49 seconds in the fourth quarter because Anthony Davis played most of the time at the center spot.
3. The Lakers just couldn’t make their three-pointers.
They shot 29.4% from three, going 10-for-34.
4. The Lakers entered the game Wednesday night against the Wizards ranked 25th in the NBA in free-throw shooting, and they continued to demonstrate why they are so bad.
The Lakers made just 61.9% of their free throws, going 13-for-21.
5. Kyle Kuzma showed another face of his ever-evolving game.
He demonstrated his passing skills, handing out a season-high eight assists to go along with 11 points and seven rebounds.
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