For the first time since his groin strain injury against the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 25, LeBron James participated in the team’s full contact defensive drills.
“He got in some of the contact today, which is good to see. We did our defensive stuff which we go full contact on. He was a full participant in that, so it was good to see,” head coach Walton said after Saturday’s practice.
“He looked good. He’s still really good at basketball if you guys are wondering.”
While James made progress, the Los Angeles Lakers have officially ruled him out against the Phoenix Suns, which marks his 16th consecutive game.
And in the midst of a three-game losing streak and pressure to keep pace in the Western Conference, the injuries unfortunately continue to pile up for Walton and the Lakers.
Kyle Kuzma, who has been playing through a hip strain since the overtime loss to the Houston Rockets, did not practice and is officially listed as questionable.
“I told him if he’s moving like he was last game, I don’t want him playing tomorrow,” Walton said in an effort to avoid further injury.
While Josh Hart’s knee was bothering him and kept him out of the contact portion of practice, Walton expects him to play against the Suns.
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