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LeBron James and the LA Lakers return home for only the second time since Dec. 5 for a Christmas Day showdown against their arch-rivals, the Boston Celtics. LeBron's will play today against Celtics after being listed as questionable.
LeBron is coming off a season-high 40-point effort, though. Despite his 50-50 status, he is likely to play. The Lakers were in a tough spot, having lost five of their six games after their NBA In-Season Tournament win. LeBron's effort helped the team break out of that skid.
The Lakers need the four-time NBA champion on the floor to sustain this turnaround. His intensity and production were critical to their streak-snapping win over the OKC Thunder, which will again be massive tonight.
What happened to LeBron James?
LeBron sustained a right calf injury against the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 10 during a 122-119 win for the Lakers. The 19-time All-Star has missed three games since then. He has carried the 'questionable' status in every game and has been a game-time decision.
LeBron James stats vs Boston Celtics
The Celtics are one of LeBron James' most favored opponents. He has played 58 games against the Eastern Conference giants, averaging 29.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.1 assists on 51/32/73 splits. LeBron's career win-loss record against Celtics is 33-25.
He last faced them on Jan. 27, 2023. The Lakers lost that game 125-121 in OT after a controversial ending to the regulation period. LeBron didn't get the whistle on a game-winning layup attempt after Jayson Tatum smacked his arm and got away with a no-foul call. The Lakers only needed a point to secure a win, as Boston barely had time to get a quality shot off on the last possession.
LeBron finished that game with 41 points, nine rebounds and eight assists on 50/50/83 splits (six-of-12 from 3).
LeBron James returns to point guard amid Lakers' struggles
The Lakers shook things up amid their four-game losing streak before snapping it against the OKC Thunder on Saturday. The Lakers tweaked their starting lineup, putting LeBron at point guard and benching D'Angelo Russell. Jarred Vanderbilt started for Russell. Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince and Anthony Davis were the other starters.
The Lakers' all-wing and AD lineup was quite active defensively, keeping up with the young Thunder team's speed and physicality. LeBron's return to the point was critical as it kept this defensive-minded lineup afloat on offense.
The 38-year-old stuffed the stat sheet with the ball in his hands for most of the night, tallying 40 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on 63/100/100 splits (five-of-five on 3s). The Lakers led by 25 points in the third quarter but nearly faced a fourth-quarter meltdown if not for LeBron.
The Thunder cut the gap to eight points, but LeBron scored 15 in the final frame to ensure the Lakers' didn't let OKC stage an improbable comeback. Expect LeBron to carry a similar role in tonight's marquee clash against Boston.
