LeBron James Says He Was 'Rusty' in Lakers Loss to Bulls; 'I Hope' Injury is Behind Me

LeBron James acknowledged he felt "a little rusty" in the Los Angeles Lakers' 146-115 defeat to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.

James was sidelined for six games after suffering a left groin strain during a March 8 loss to the Boston Celtics. The Lakers went 3-3 during his absence.

When it comes to the groin injury, LeBron told reporters in the locker room it's a "day by day" situation and that "I hope it's behind [me]."

James played 31 minutes against the Bulls, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Prior to the groin strain, the 21-time All-Star sat out just four of the Lakers' first 62 games in what was shaping up to be one of the healthiest campaigns of his 22-season career.

The Lakers' depth down the stretch of the 2024-25 season has been tested by injuries to key players, including James and Luka Dončić as well as Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith.

The loss of James has been particularly significant for the Lakers given his dominant play during his age-40 season. The Los Angeles star has averaged 24.9 points, 8.5 assists and 8.2 rebounds while playing almost 35 minutes per game in 59 starts this season.

Reuniting James and Dončić on Saturday is key for the Lakers' hopes of a higher spot in the Western Conference playoff picture. They're competing with the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves in the fight to secure a top-four seed over the final few weeks of the regular season.