LeBron James is nearing a return to action but is unlikely to play when the Los Angeles Lakers face the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. James has not featured since suffering a groin injury in the Lakers' win over the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day, missing his team's last 17 games. The Lakers are 6-11 in his absence and have fallen down to ninth spot in the Western Conference standings, two games behind the Clippers ahead of the meeting between the teams.