Lakers’ LeBron James clears COVID-19 protocols, can face Clippers on Friday

After hunkering down for immoderate 48 hours preparing for an undetermined agelong without LeBron James, the Lakers (12-11) could person him backmost successful the lineup arsenic soon arsenic Friday night.

The 36-year-old is nary longer successful the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols aft registering aggregate antagonistic COVID tests, the league announced Thursday afternoon. He is expected to play Friday nighttime against the Clippers, the archetypal gathering of the play betwixt the Staples Center co-tenants. The Athletic was archetypal to study the development, which could plaything momentum the Lakers’ mode aft a bumpy commencement to the season, peculiarly for James.

James has not played successful much than 3 consecutive games this season, missing 12 of their 23 (in which the Lakers person gone 5-7). The latest intermission came connected Tuesday morning, erstwhile the NBA learned helium had tested affirmative for COVID-19 successful Sacramento up of their crippled against the Kings that night.

The NBA retested the archetypal illustration James provided twice, which produced 1 affirmative and 1 antagonistic result. Because of the conflicting results, James was tested again connected Tuesday, which resulted successful 1 antagonistic effect and 1 clinically inconclusive result.

James did not play Tuesday night, was quarantined from the squad and returned to L.A. via backstage transportation. The four-time league MVP wasn’t cleared from the protocols until helium produced 2 antagonistic trial results successful a 24-hour span.

Being sidelined irked James, who implied successful a tweet that thing fishy was afoot. ESPN reported that helium has been tested 8 times since his archetypal affirmative test, which has present been ruled a mendacious result.

James said helium was vaccinated for COVID-19 earlier the commencement of the season. The NBA is amid a propulsion to get players and unit to instrumentality booster shots to woody with the caller variants of the disease.

The Lakers are coming disconnected consecutive wins, hoping to summation momentum for the remaining 59 games of the regular season. James is averaging 25.8 points, 6.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds per crippled with the Lakers this season, his 19th successful the NBA.

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