"Only good things ahead" - LeBron James optimistic even after not playing 4 games at a stretch this season, acknowledges a 'very challenging year to start'

LeBron James returned to play for the LA Lakers on Friday after missing the game against the Sacramento Kings. James was put under the NBA's Health & Safety protocol following a positive covid test. However, he was allowed to rejoin the Lakers lineup following his submission of a second negative PCR test within a 24-hour window.

James has played only 50% of his games this season due to injuries, a suspension, and most recently the Health & Safety protocol. In fact, he is yet to play four consecutive games for the LA Lakers. According to Ryan Ward, a Lakers reporter, Lebron James believes the season has been challenging so far. In his tweet, Ward wrote:

LeBron James on not yet playing 4 straight games this season: "It's been a very challenging year to start. ... Only good things ahead."

LeBron James' believes only good things ahead

The news of James testing positive for Covid sent the league into a frenzy but James believed otherwise throughout. His tweet on December 2 which could loosely be translated as "something real fishy is going on," highlighted his skepticism regarding the results.

According to Dave McMenamin's article published on ESPN, LBJ had the following to say about the league's Health & Safety protocol:

"Usually when you have a positive test, they'll test you right away to make sure. There was not a follow-up test after my positive test. It was straight to isolation and you've been put into protocol. That's the part that kind of angered me. I had to figure out a way to get home from Sacramento by myself. They wouldn't allow anyone to travel with me, no security, no anything, when I traveled back from Sacramento."

LeBron continued, "And then I had to put my kids in isolation for the time being, the people in my household in isolation for the time being, so it was just a big-time inconvenience. That was the anger part."

The Lakers #6 is yet to play four back-to-back games. His team is now 12-12 and things seem concerning in the Lakers Camp. In his return against the LA Clippers, James registered 23 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists toward a losing cause. For James, however, only good things lie ahead. We can only assume that "only good things" translates to a better record and more wins for the rest of the season.