CHICAGO - Purple-and-gold smoke leaked out of the Lakers chimney today. Good news has arrived.
The King is back.
Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, LeBron James is "pain-free after several days off - and able to make hard cuts and elevate.
Emphasis on "elevate" as the Lakers need to rise to the occasion after losing eight of their last 11 games. Unless the Dallas Mavericks and the Portland Trail Blazers simultaneously combust in this final week of the regular season, the Lakers are headed to the play-in tournament.
It doesn't matter.
A robust LeBron and Anthony Davis can rescue the defending champs out of any sticky situation that includes facing the flaming-hot Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
But how healthy is LeBron?
"A high ankle sprain can take longer to recover from than a simple fracture. It can take 6-8 weeks," Bernard Condevaux, a physical therapist and the senior director of medical and performance for the Detroit Pistons, told me when I asked him to be educated about the nature of high ankle sprains.
LeBron's injury occurred last March 20 in Atlanta when Hawks guard Solomon Hill apparently mistook James' lower right leg for a mattress and crashed hard on it.
That was 52 days ago, a mere four days short of eight weeks.
Laker Nation should be giddy. Heck, I feel giddy and I don't even like them, except that one bundle of joy whose parents christened him as Alex Caruso.
HOW ABOUT ANTHONY DAVIS, HOW IS HE DOING WITH THE LITANY OF HURTS, THE LAST ONE BEING BACK SPASMS?
Well, I'm no doctor but I have a great pair of eyes that saw AD orbit the Phoenix Suns last Monday and landed with 42 points and a big W at Staples Center. I guess the dude's okay.
All these blabber, mine included, about the Lakers' reign in jeopardy gets effectively scratched if both James and Davis get off the injured list.
Las Vegas is betting on a Brow and a pot of King's gold at the end of the purple-and gold rainbow. And that is why even during the toughest storms, when KCP and Kyle Kuzma were throwing bricks all over while leading a patchwork line-up, most sports books kept the Lakers as the betting favorites to win it all.
So I'll be watching LeBron attentively against the Knicks. I want to see if he winces after a landing or a hard cut.
I have a strong feeling the Jazz and the Suns, potential first-round opponents of the King and the gang, will be watching too.
Less eagerly.
And, maybe, a little more frighteningly?
EUMIR OPENS UP. With the fury of a thousand punches, Tokyo-bound Eumir Marcial, our country's best hope to capture the first-ever Olympic gold medal, took off his gloves Saturday to air some of his frustrations.
While acknowledging that a coach he requested was indeed provided for by ABAP he told host Noli Eala "wala po akong natanggap" when it comes to financial support needed for his training out there in Zamboanga.
Pressed by Eala if he had approached ABAP, Marcial threw a counter punch.
"Pagod na ako magsabi ano ang kailangan ko."
Fortunately for Eumir, the Navarro family, whom he thanked effusively throughout the interview had come to the rescue right from the very first day he called them from Los Angeles and asked if he could train in their world-class gym.
"Si Boss Junnie talaga ang nagsuporta sa akin... Galing sa puso."
Long before supporting sports and athletes became fashionable, the Navarros have already been at the forefront. Family patriarch, Rolando Sr, was a giant in the baseball community and had strong ties with the Boy Codinera who was a passionate advocate of the sport.
Junnie's mother, Cory Navarro, has generously carried on the tradition of helping out athletes. The Navarros have more money than Dubai. They have no vested interest other then helping Eumir with whatever he needs.
"Gusto lang talaga nila manalo ako ng gold medal."
We'd like that, too, Eumir.
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