LeBron James Back Even Earlier Than Skip Bayless Dared Him to Come Back
By Kyle Koster
LeBron James will return to the court for meaningful basketball tonight against the Clippers, Yahoo Sports reports. The Lakers star has been sidelined since Christmas Day with a groin injury. This, of course, is huge news for his team, the league, and the sports blog industrial complex.
James, who is averaging 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists per contest, missed a total of 17 games. The Lakers went 6-11 during that stretch.
What motivated the four-time MVP and future Hall of Famer to return? There’s his burning passion for basketball and intense competitiveness. Then there’s the sense that playoff hopes are tenuous for his team.
There’s also his wannabe foil, Skip Bayless, who tweeted this on Wednesday.
LEBRON: I DARE YOU TO PLAY YOUR FIRST GAME SINCE DEC. 25 BACK AT GOLDEN STATE, WHERE THE WARRIORS WILL WANT REVENGE FOR CHRISTMAS DAY AGAINST YOU ON AN IFFY GROIN AND IN IFFY SHAPE AND THEM WITH DCOUSINS NOW. IF YOU TRY THIS, I WILL BE HUGELY IMPRESSED. GOOD LUCK, KING.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 31, 2019
The Lakers play the Warriors on Saturday. Bayless has to be hugely impressed and then some.
Never underestimate a good dare. People have been know to do wild things when challenged with a dare. Lives have been risked over double dares. And when someone issues one in all-caps, well, there’s no choice but to answer the call — and even go a step further.