OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol is expected to miss his third straight game with tendinitis in his knees.
Dec 072012
Dec 062012
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the New Orleans Hornets on Tuesday night, coasting to a 103-87 win over the Don’t-Call-Me-Pelicans behind a record-setting performance from Kobe Bryant, strong second-half pressure defense and a combined 11-of-21 mark from beyond the 3-point line turned in by the foursome of Metta World Peace, Antawn Jamison, Jodie Meeks and Darius Morris. For Lakers fans wearied these last few weeks by their expected juggernaut’s fits-and-starts opening to the season — and, more recently, talk of needed ass-kicking , possible exit-prepping , dismal foul-shooting and metaphorical pants-pooping — it was a good, calming night.
Lakers big man Pau Gasol took in the feel-good extravaganza from the L.A. bench, sitting out for the second consecutive game as he rests in the interest of recovering from tendinitis in both of his knees . News of Gasol’s length-as-yet-undetermined siesta — which comes with his scoring averages (per-game and per-minute) and field-goal percentage at career lows, his rebounding and assist rates down from last year, and Bryant having openly questioned his conditioning — immediately stoked speculation that the Lakers were shelving him ahead of shipping him out to shake up the struggling L.A. roster. That speculation reached new heights following reports that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak had told Gasol’s representatives the team could look to move the 32-year-old four-time All-Star if he proved unable to adapt to new coach Mike D’Antoni’s more uptempo spread pick-and-roll system.
Perhaps emboldened by those reports, word’s now trickling out about multiple teams reaching out to the Lakers to gauge Gasol’s availability, though — thus far — unsuccessfully. From Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com :
The Toronto Raptors and Minnesota Timberwolves have both recently tried to engage the Lakers in trade discussions for Gasol, sources told ESPN.com, but the Lakers continue to tell teams that call that they will not consider dealing the Spaniard until L.A. can fully assess its roster after the return of injured point guard Steve Nash. [...]
Dec 062012
Brandon Jennings knows this is a big year for the Bucks and believes trust is holding them back… Pau Gasol talks about his knee and the Lakers… Kobe crosses 30,000 points.. Stern OK with name change in New Orleans and Charlotte… NBA Chat at 3pm EST
Dec 062012
The Los Angeles Lakers, largely at the behest of general manager Mitch Kupchak, have rebuffed trade inquiries from at least two teams for Pau Gasol, according to sources with knowledge of the Lakers’ thinking.
Dec 042012
Power forward Pau Gasol will be lost to the Los Angeles Lakers indefinitely because of tendonitis in both knees, the team announced Tuesday.
Dec 042012
HOUSTON (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol will miss Tuesday night’s game against Houston because of tendinitis in both knees.
Dec 042012
HOUSTON (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol will miss Tuesday night’s game against Houston because of tendinitis in both knees.
Dec 042012
Amid rising pressure and growing trade speculation smothering the ailing Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant offered his strongest public support to date to back the Spaniard with whom he has won two NBA championships.
Dec 042012
(Reuters) – The Los Angeles Lakers, still trying to find their way this season, will be without Pau Gasol when they try to snap the Houston Rockets’ five-game home winning streak on Tuesday. Gasol, averaging a National Basketball Association career low in points with 12.6 per game, will take a rest on the bench due to tendinitis in both knees, the Lakers said. Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers (8-9), struggling to meet lofty pre-season expectations, will try to climb back to the .500 mark against the Rockets (8-8) following a 113-103 home loss to Orlando on Sunday. …
Dec 042012
The Los Angeles Lakers and Pau Gasol are visiting Houston this week, taking on a Rockets team that Gasol was nearly traded to 12 months ago, though Pau won’t be around to show the Rockets what might have been. The team is sitting their big man for an as-yet-unspecified period of time, citing knee tendinitis and opening the floodgates to all manner of trade rumors about the 32-year forward/center.
Those rumors are bunko, the Lakers aren’t doing anything until they see how a full and healthy roster featuring Steve Nash works out, but it does appear as if Gasol is going to have to take a back seat for a spell. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin was the first to break the news, and this is from his report :
“The biggest thing with him was that he was playing hurt and in this league you just can’t do that,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I just didn’t think he was running fluidly.”
D’Antoni said Gasol made the decision to rest after consulting with the coaching and training staff. There is no set timetable for how long Gasol will sit out. Antawn Jamison will start in his place.