LeBron James is back.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ All-Star, who missed the past 13 games with right foot soreness, returned to the Lakers on Sunday and scored 19 points in a 118-108 loss to the Chicago Bulls. It was a missed opportunity for the Lakers at home to improve their playoff chances.
James came off the bench, marking just the second time in his career over the course 1,414 regular-season games that James did not start. The previous time: Dec. 11, 2007 against Indiana when James played for Cleveland in his fifth NBA season.
James told reporters after the game that two doctors recommended he have season-ending surgery for a tendon injury. But he decided against that and said he healed faster than expected.
James’ return gives the Lakers and their playoff chances a boost with just two weeks and seven games remaining in their regular season.
Let’s look at what James’ return means to the Lakers:
What is Lakers’ postseason situation?
The West is wild. Nine teams (spots 4-12: Phoenix, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State, Minnesota, Lakers, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Dallas and Utah) are separated by just four games in the standings, and spots 5-9 are within a 1½ games of each other.
With Sunday’s loss, the Lakers are 37-38 – missing a chance to climb above .500 for the first time this season – and dropped to ninth place in the West – a ½ game behind the New Orleans Pelicans, two games behind the Clippers and a game and half behind the Warriors. Minnesota is a game ahead of the Lakers. The Clippers and Pelicans were off Sunday.
The Lakers have the fifth-easiest remaining schedule with four of their remaining seven games against teams under .500. They have a four-game road trip at Chicago, Minnesota, Houston and Utah and then finish the season at home against the Clippers, Suns and Jazz.
If the Lakers finish 7-10, they will be in the play-in game format. If they finish lower than 10th, they’re done for the year, and if the sneak into the top six, they’re guaranteed a playoff spot.
ALL-TIME SCORING RECORD: LeBron James captured the NBA scoring title
How have the Lakers fared since the trade deadline?
At All-Star Weekend, James called the final two months of the season the most important 23 regular-season games of his career because he did not want to miss consecutive postseasons for just the second time in his career.
The Lakers have responded. On Feb. 10 – the day after the trade deadline – they were 25-31 and in 13th place in the West. They are 10-5 since the All-Star break, and 12-6 since the trade deadline when they acquired Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt.
The new additions have helped, and Anthony Davis has averaged 26.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2 blocks, and has shot 56.6% from the field since the All-Star break. Los Angeles also has the No. 1 defense since the trade deadline, allowing 109.8 points per 100 possessions.
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What LeBron James has done this season
James has been fantastic, earning an All-Star nod for a record 19th-time. He averages 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists and shoots 50.1% from the field. But he has played in just 48 of the Lakers’ 75 games.
Because of his right foot injury, he hasn’t played many games with his new teammates acquired at the trade deadline. The Lakers need him to mesh with the new lineup and quickly – not only for the remainder of the regular season but if the Lakers want to make noise in the postseason.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James returns for LA Lakers: What it means for NBA playoff push
