Rui Hachimura returned to the Los Angeles Lakers roster against the Chicago Bulls and contributed to a mere five points.
While the hopes were high, LeBron James and Hachimura both made a return after missing games for quite a long. However, despite showing some positive signs after the return, the Japanese phenom has bad news for his fans.
He’s not feeling himself and nowhere near his 100% health.
“I was like 70-80%. My knee is gonna be like that for a while, I think. I can’t really get back to 100% right away. I gotta rest for like a long time to get back to normal. But I don’t think we have that, so we just gotta maintain and manage it,” Hachimura said, as per Lakers Nation’s Daniel Starkand.
Here are Rui Hachimura's quotes discussing his left patellar tendinopathy and still not feeling 100% healthy: pic.twitter.com/8Rb5gbNjmS
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) March 23, 2025
After almost a month away, he disclosed that he is currently operating at about 70-80% efficiency and that achieving full recovery will take time. His injury, left patellar tendinopathy, requires substantial rest and rehabilitation. But the importance of his role on the team complicates matters.
“It’s just everything. This is one of those where whatever you do, jump, stop, slide, everything is gonna feel it. My left leg has got to be stronger, still don’t have the explosion,” he added.
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Lakers Fell Short To Bulls Despite Rui Hachimura And LeBron James’ Return
The LA Lakers faced the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, marking the return of both LeBron and Rui Hachimura to the lineup after missing several weeks. The team suffered a blowout 146-115 loss, and Hachimura’s performance indicated he was still dealing with the effects of his injury.
Before the game, JJ Redick said that Hachimura would be under a minutes restriction. In the 18 minutes he played, he scored five points and grabbed two rebounds, shooting 2-of-6 from the field.
MATAS BUZELIS WHAT A MOVE!!
— NBA (@NBA) March 23, 2025
Flashes the tricky handle before throwing down the 🔨🔨
Bulls/Lakers off to a flying start on NBA League Pass! pic.twitter.com/IqEpZ7oLdo
After the game, Hachimura discussed his condition, the pain experienced during gameplay, describing it as affecting all movements.
The Lakers, currently fourth in the competitive Western Conference standings, depend on Hachimura’s contributions. Though he’s averaging impressive numbers, 13.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and shooting percentages of 50.4% overall and 40.4% from three-point range.
Also Read: JJ Redick Throws Lakers’ Defensive Effort Under The Bus After Blowout Loss To Bulls
