Play.
Stephen A. said that he won't win any more titles.
Even with everyone healthy, Stephen A. Smith doesn't think the Lakers can win a title. (0:48)
The time is 12:30 AM.
After the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, the door was open for James to return from an abdominal strain on Friday in Boston.
When asked if he would play against the Celtics after missing the past eight games and 10 of L.A.'s 16 games because of injury, James said he hoped. "I hope so."
According to sources close to James, there is a 50% chance that he will play at the Boston Garden.
In 54 regular-season games in Boston, James has averaged 28.9 points per game, his highest scoring average in any road arena other than Cleveland, where he has averaged 29.1 points in 17 games as a visitor.
James worked out on the court before Wednesday's game, with Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy putting him through shooting and ball-handling drills. James paused the workout on a few occasions to crouch down in what appeared to be an attempt to stretch out his abdomen.
"I was hoping he was going to play in all of the last seven games or something like that, since he's been out," he said. I hope he plays. I'm always positive. He's still working. No decisions are made.
The coach was asked what obstacles James would have to clear in order to play.
"I'll leave that to the medical team," he said. He did some work today. I don't know how that went. I will leave that to the medical team to decide when he's ready to leave.
L.A. was 4-2 with James this season, despite him not playing up to his usual standards.
In those six games, James averaged 24.8 points, his lowest scoring output since he averaged 20.9 points as a freshman, while also averaging his least amount of assists since his sophomore year. His shooting mark from the field is his lowest since he was a freshman, and his 4.2 turnovers per game are tied for his career high.
Anthony Davis said that James' injuries and the Lakers' lack of health made it difficult to evaluate the team.
Davis said that they haven't seen it yet. We can kind of see once we get everybody back. Fight with what we have.
