Lakers: LeBron James receives positive foot injury update

While an imminent return for LeBron James doesn't seem likely following his foot injury, he and the Lakers managed to dodge a major bullet.

Things were looking up for the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night after they pulled off an improbable 27-point comeback against the Dallas Mavericks. While camera mics caught LeBron James saying that he heard a pop on his foot, The King stayed in the game and finished with 27 points and eight boards in 37 minutes of action. It seemed like this huge win could be a huge catalyst for the Lakers' quest to make the postseason.

However, celebration quickly turned to consternation after the Lakers discovered that James' injury was more severe than first thought. The expectation was that the NBA's all-time leading scorer would miss at least two weeks due to a foot injury, putting such a huge damper on the Lakers' playoff hopes.

Nevertheless, the Lakers will take every bit of positive news they can get. While an imminent return for LeBron James doesn't seem likely, he and the Lakers dodged a major bullet. Per Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, James will not have to undergo surgery on his injured foot.

Following James' two-week timeline, he could make his return for the Lakers on March 15 against the New Orleans Pelicans, one team they're jockeying for position against in the tight Western Conference playoff battle. If James manages to return by then, he would only have to miss five games. While those five games could prove crucial in the playoff hunt, that is not too bad of an outcome for a team that needs every win they can get.

During that stretch, LeBron James will have to miss the Lakers' games against five other teams currently in, at least, a play-in spot. In order, the Lakers will face the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, and New York Knicks, teams that have plenty of incentive to keep on winning.

In James' absence, the likes of Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder will have to carry the workload offensively. Schroder, in particular, seems to be up to the task after leading the way for the shorthanded Lakers on Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder despite injuring his ankle early on in the game.