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Heading into Monday’s matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, the Los Angeles Lakers were coming off a disappointing 122-102 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on Saturday. The defeat snapped L.A.’s five-game win streak, and it also marked the first time this season leading scorer Luka Doncic didn’t hit the 25-point mark in his six appearances this season. Fortunately for the Lakers and Doncic, both returned to form against the Hornets as L.A. cruised to a 121-111 victory as Doncic went off for a game-high 38 points, seven assists, and six rebounds. More Sports: Ex-1,000-Yard WR Rejected Trade to Play With Aaron Rodgers, Steelers: Report More Sports: Broncos Could Move on From QB Bo Nix, Analyst Says The Lakers tied the Detroit Pistons for the second-most wins in the NBA (eight) behind only the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder (10-1), but that wasn’t the only good news the team got on Monday. Before Monday’s contest, it was revealed by head coach JJ Redick that star forward LeBron James was practicing with the Lakers’ G League affiliate South Bay Lakers as he ramps up his workload in preparation for his season debut. “He’s literally practicing with South Bay today, think about that,” Redick told reporters. “He’s practicing with South Bay today. Maybe I shouldn’t have leaked that.” More Sports: Baker Mayfield Puts Buccaneers Teammates on Notice After Patriots Loss The 40-year-old James has been sidelined since training camp with sciatica. Though he’s missed the team’s first 11 games, Redick’s injury update seems to indicate that he’s nearing his return. No firm return date has been announced for James as of yet, but some seem to believe the Lakers’ home game against the Utah Jazz on Nov. 18 would make sense. L.A. announced last Thursday that James was cleared for contact by doctors and that he'll be re-evaluated in a week or two. When he does inevitably make his season debut, James, who’s the league’s all-time leading scorer (42,184 points), will also set a new NBA record for most seasons played (23).
