Basketball: Los Angeles ailing team hosted Pelicans at home turf

LeBron James played Friday despite an illness, and several of his ailing Los Angeles teammates were available as the Lakers hosted the New Orleans Pelicans. James had been listed as a game-time decision, and he wasn't at the midday shoot-around because he was getting extra sleep, coach Luke Walton told reporters then.

Center JaVale McGee, who is dealing with the flu, missed his third consecutive game, while centres Tyson Chandler and Ivica Zubac, said to be under the weather, were available nonetheless Friday.

"We got a sick team right now," Walton said Friday afternoon. "We're a little banged up, but we expect for whoever is ready to play tonight, that they give us a great effort in front of our home crowd."

The game between the Lakers and Pelicans, televised nationally by ESPN, picked up extra buzz since James said it would be "amazing" to someday play with New Orleans star Anthony Davis. Davis isn't slated to become a free agent until after the 2019-20 season, and some general managers around the league viewed James' comments as tampering.

Meanwhile, forward Brandon Ingram (ankle) and point guard Rajon Rondo (hand) was back in action Friday night. Ingram missed the past seven games and Rondo sat out the past 17.