Lakers F LeBron James has dealt with several injuries throughout the 2025-26 season, more so than any other campaign of his legendary career. With James still battling a hip ailment, the future Hall of Famer’s status is up in the air for Thursday’s showdown vs. the Chicago Bulls at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Let's dive into the latest LeBron James injury update for tonight's matchup with the Bulls and circle how it could impact PrizePicks projections.
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LeBron James Injury Update: Is He Playing vs. Bulls?
The Lakers have officially listed James as questionable for Thursday’s game due to a right hip contusion and left foot arthritis.
James has already missed three consecutive games as a result of the hip injury. This comes after he suffered a hard fall in a 120-113 loss vs. the Denver Nuggets on March 5.
Since January, the 22-time All-Star has also dealt with left foot arthritis. Before Tuesday’s game vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lakers head coach JJ Redick stated that James went through pregame shootaround but needed a few more days before he could potentially return to the court, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
In just 44 games, James has averaged 21.4 PPG, 7.0 APG, and 5.6 RPG, while shooting 50.4% from the field. He remains a major piece of the L.A. offense. How could another absence shift NBA projections for Bulls vs. Lakers?
LeBron James Injury Impact: Which Lakers Players to Target?
With James potentially set to miss his fourth straight game, Lakers SG Austin Reaves could continue to benefit from the star forward’s absence.
In 16 games without James this season, Reaves logged 28.4 PPG, 7.8 APG, and 4.8 RPG — surpassing his season-long marks of 23.7 PPG, 5.5 APG, and 4.8 RPG.
Over LeBron's last three absences, Reaves scored 25+ points in two contests, shooting 44.4% from beyond the arc in the split.
Reaves could thrive against a Bulls perimeter defense that has struggled, allowing its opponents to connect on 36.8% of 3-point shots (25th).
In six career games vs. Chicago, Reaves has performed well by averaging 21.3 PPG, 5.2 APG, and 1.8 RPG, in addition to shooting 41.4% from 3-point land.
According to Add More Funds, Reaves sports a 57.6% effective field goal percentage, which is actually higher than Lakers PG Luka Doncic.
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Austin Reaves vs. Bulls Stats, Projections
Here are the most popular Austin Reaves player projections for Bulls vs. Lakers tonight, via PrizePicks, where you can predict More or Less on player stats to earn real money if you're right.
- 21.5 Points
- 31.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- 27.5 Pts + Asts
- 5 Assists
- 14.5 FG Attempted
Make Bulls vs. Lakers Picks on PrizePicks
The Lakers could be without F LeBron James for the fourth consecutive game as he deals with a nagging hip injury. However, there are still several Lakers player picks to consider on PrizePicks, including projections for Austin Reaves.
You can make your Bulls vs. Lakers picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. Just pick at least two player stat projections, predict More or Less on them, and cash in if you're right. With PrizePicks Team Picks, you can also make predictions on game winners, spreads, and over/unders — now available in 35 states!
Stick around with the Playbook for continued NBA predictions, picks, and news every day until the 2026 NBA Finals.
