LeBron James feels "it is pretty cool" the Los Angeles Lakers will finish with a winning record this season after a dismal start.

The Lakers are not assured of making the playoffs, seventh in the Western Conference and set for the play-in tournament as things stand, but they are 42-39 and will finish above .500.

This comes after the Lakers started 0-5 and then 2-10, records James recalled after Friday's 121-107 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

"I was just telling AD [Anthony Davis] – I was like, 'man, can you believe that we're going to finish this season above .500? After everything that's gone on this season?'" James said.

"We've turned this thing around. And it's the regular season, obviously – there's a lot more basketball to be played – but to know that we're going to finish a few games above .500? It's pretty cool."

Darvin Ham is in his first year as a head coach and has had to cope without James for 27 games and Davis for 26.

But he is slightly more reluctant to yet reflect on a job well done, adding: "Our work is not done by a long shot.

"It'll be great at some point to think back, but hopefully I'll be thinking about this first year after we're holding the trophy or something.

"In the short form, it's a lot to be proud of. And in the long form, we've got more work to do."