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In a huge 111-108 win against the Luka Doncic-led Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 26, LeBron James suffered a foot injury. Despite the injury, he remained in the game. James suffered a right foot injury late in the third quarter as he drove to the basket against Dwight Powell.
James has remained sidelined since then, with the Lakers climbing into the play-in spot for the ninth position in the Western Conference.
LeBron James' return timeline
With updates from Shams Charania and Chris Haynes, some positive outlook has been provided on LeBron James' current recovery process.
LeBron James will reportedly not need surgery on his right foot and will be re-evaluated in three weeks. As such, not all hope is lost for the Lakers as they look to make it to the postseason.
LeBron James and the LA Lakers' playoff seeding
The LA Lakers are a completely different basketball team compared to what they were at the beginning of the season. A fully revamped roster with additional shooting and defense has bolstered the team's capability to compete with the best when healthy.
They have won seven of their past 10 games and are currently on a two-game win streak. The LA Lakers are currently ninth in the Western Conference with a 32-34 record.
Here's where things get interesting. The LA Clippers are ranked sixth with a 35-33 record. The Minnesota Timberwolves are ranked seventh with a 34-33 record. The Dallas Mavericks are ranked eighth with a 34-33 record. The standings in the Western Conference are close, with each team competing hard to secure a berth in the postseason.
The LA Lakers have a manageable stretch of five games ahead. They face the Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets. The LA Lakers have 17 games remaining.
In James' absence, Anthony Davis has stepped up to lead the team to victories. He has averaged 33.0 PPG and 13.8 REB in the past five games.
When James finally returns from his injury, the Lakers could make some noise in the playoffs, provided they make it there in the first place.
