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LA Lakers forward LeBron James is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday night against the LA Clippers. The 37-year-old has been considered day-to-day due to foot soreness.
James sat out the Lakers' 139-116 loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday night. Heading into Wednesday night, the Lakers (2-8) find themselves second to last in the Western Conference standings.
When on the court this year, James has put up respectable production, averaging 24.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. He's shooting 44.7%, but just 21.0% from 3-point range.
With the Lakers in a hole to start the season, James is determined to give his team a boost. LeBron spoke to the media, sharing that rest is the only thing that can help with his foot injury. James also stated that he's not going to sit out for an extended period of time.
LeBron James and the LA Lakers look to avoid fourth consecutive loss
The LA Lakers came into this season with the hope of change. The team went 33-49, finishing 11th in the Western Conference last season. After losing five consecutive games to start the season, the team was going in the wrong direction before snaring its first two wins.
LeBron James has shown that he can still play at a high level. But the supporting cast has struggled on a nightly basis. Heading into Wednesday night's game, the Lakers are ranked 26th in the NBA in scoring (108.4 ppg).
The team is also ranked 26th in field-goal percentage (44.4%) and dead last in 3-point percentage (29.1%). Offensive production has been an issue in recent years. If changes aren't made, that problem doesn't look to be going away anytime soon.
If there's any bright spot for the Lakers, it has been the encouraging play of their veterans. Anthony Davis is averaging 22.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game in his last five appearances.
One of the biggest developments has been the play of veteran Russell Westbrook. Since being moved to the bench, Westbrook has started to thrive. In his last three games, Westbrook is averaging 22.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 7.0 apg. During that stretch, he is shooting 56.1%, including 61.5% from 3-point range.
LeBron James and the Lakers are running out of time to put the pieces together. After Wednesday night's showdown against the LA Clippers (6-5), the team will face the Sacramento Kings (3-6) on Friday night, beginning a four-game home stand. From there, the Lakers will face the Brooklyn Nets (4-7), Detroit Pistons (3-8) and San Antonio Spurs (5-6).
