On Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers were back in action with their star LeBron James. Even though he showed up with a strong performance, his team had to take a tough 100-97 loss against the Hornets. With the Lakers hitting the road for what’s technically a home game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the upcoming matchup is going to be a nail-biting one.

Before the All-Star games, the Lakers star was dealing with some foot and ankle issues. When his return was announced in the team’s first game after the break, it surprised a lot of fans. But now, the real question lies: How will the Lakers manage James on the second night of a back-to-back game? With the postseason in sight, keeping him at full strength is non-negotiable.

Will LeBron James suit up for the Lakers tonight?

While the Lakers experienced upsets in both before going and after coming from the break, luckily, they didn’t incur any major injuries. And taking a look at the injury reports, the good news is that the team will be heading into their next game with a healthy roster. That means LeBron James is taking on the front-court lineup, and there are no other injury worries for the Lakers. It’s all systems go for this next matchup!

For the Blazers, it’s their first game after the break and it looks like they’re not in good form. It was a game-time decision for power forward Jerami Grant but his knee injury has sidelined him from the upcoming game. Before going on a break the team’s centre Deandre Ayton was diagnosed with a left calf strain and it was reported that he’ll be re-evaluated in four or five weeks.

But that’s not all, those injuries were on the team’s frontcourt, Portland’s backcourt reported some as well. Scoot Henderson and Robert Williams III were initially questionable but as per the latest reports, they’re sidelined due to their ankle and knee injuries. But the injury reports are not the only thing where the teams report such a contrast.

How have been the Lakers performing?

This season, the Lakers’ offense has been solid but not spectacular, sitting right in the middle of the league at 113 points per game. Like always LeBron has been the top contributor to the team. For the last 20 games, he averaged above 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists, which is great but not the King’s standard. Except for the assists, his numbers don’t make it to the top 10.

While his leadership is undeniable, the Lakers need more consistency from their supporting cast to make a serious playoff push. To their luck, Luka Doncic is starting to get in rhythm with his new squad, posting 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists in his last game. Even though it was his third appearance with the team, Luka doubled his output in terms of assists and rebounding with an increase in playing time.

As the Lakers move forward, they’re expecting Austin Reaves to contribute majorly, as he’s one of the team’s lead scorers with his 19-point performance averaging 4.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. With a 32-21 record, the Lakers currently hold the fifth spot in the Western Conference. In contrast, they’ll be facing the Trail Blazers, who sit 13th in the conference at 23-32 record.

Los Angeles Lakers Depth Chart

With playoff positioning on the line for the Lakers and pride at stake for the Blazers, expect a hard-fought battle. Will LeBron and company take care of business, or can Portland pull off a surprise? We’ll find out soon.