Archive for the 'Injury News' Category

Vujacic “Probable” For Raptors Game

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on March 9, 2010
in Injury News and Sasha Vujacic
. Closed


Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic is available to play for the first time since spraining his right shoulder on Feb. 18 against Boston.

The 6-7 Slovenian told us after Tuesday’s shootaround - during which he lofted shot after shot at the basket - that he was feeling much better and expected to go against the Raptors. While wearing a shoulder brace, Vujacic added that he’s been painfully eager to return to the team, which went 4-4 in his 8-game absence.

Vujacic went through practice with the team on Monday, staying late to put up some additional shots with Ron Artest.

Previously, Vujacic had been unable to shoot with his right hand, instead likely setting an NBA record for most off-hand free throw attempts.

Unofficially, that is.

Shannon Brown Thumb Update

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on March 4, 2010
in Injury News and Shannon Brown
. Closed

Shannon Brown offered an update on his sprained right thumb prior to Thursday’s game in Miami that he suffered while blocking a Dahntay Jones shot against Indiana on Tuesday.

“I didn’t know how it bent or how it stretched out of place, I just knew I blocked the shot and my thumb started throbbing,” he said. “It does (affect me), when I’m dribbling, shooting and all that. But it’s fine, it’s not going to change my activity out there.”

“It should be all right,” added Phil Jackson. “He has a sprain, but he’ll be OK.”

Brown said that he was glad that he blocked the shot clean and wasn’t called for a foul on the play, which would have been a “double whammy.”

Brown also knew that he had comfort in numbers, since Jordan Farmar, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom and Ron Artest have also suffered varying finger injuries throughout the season.

(Quick) Lakers Injury Update

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on March 3, 2010
in Injury News
. Closed

To make sure you’re all updated on the most current Lakers injury information, here’s the latest list from the team’s game notes, including each player’s status for Thursday’s game in Miami:

▪ Shannon Brown (sprained right thumb) is probable.
▪ Kobe Bryant (avulsion fracture, right index finger) is probable.
▪ Sasha Vujacic (sprained right shoulder) is out.
▪ Luke Walton (pinched nerve, back) is out indefinitely.

The newest of the injuries is Brown’s sprained right thumb, suffered on Tuesday evening in L.A.’s win over Indiana when Brown blocked the shot of Dahntay Jones.

Luke Walton Remains Out Indefinitely

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on February 26, 2010
in Injury News and Luke Walton
. Closed

59354315Luke Walton, who has appeared in only 24 games in the 2009-10 season due to a pinched nerve in his back, has not played since a five-minute, 44-second stint in Utah on Feb. 10.

Walton remains out indefinitely due to the pinched nerve, and there is no timetable for a possible return.

Vujacic Out With Shoulder Sprain

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on February 22, 2010
in Injury News and Sasha Vujacic
. Closed

In Thursday’s narrow loss to Boston, Sasha Vujacic suffered a grade one sprain of the right shoulder and is expected to miss a few games.

We’ll check in with Vujacic, if possible, after Monday’s practice to see if there’s an update as to his status.

Bryant Expected to Miss Celtics Game

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on February 18, 2010
in Injury News and Kobe Bryant
. Closed

After Wednesday’s practice, Kobe Bryant said that his strained peroneal tendon would have to improve drastically overnight for him to play against Boston on Thursday night, but that doesn’t appear to be the case, as we learned after Thursday morning’s shootaround.

When asked if he expected Bryant to play, Phil Jackson said: “Not that I know of.” Assistant coach Frank Hamblen then told us that LA had prepared its scouting report under the assumption that Bryant would not play.

Since the Lakers don’t play their next game until Tuesday in Memphis, it appears that Bryant will have gone 18 days since last playing against Denver on February 5.

Bryant Likely Out Against Boston

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on February 17, 2010
in Injury News and Kobe Bryant
. Closed

While wearing a pair of sandals that signified his lack of participation in Wednesday’s practice, Kobe Bryant said that he doubted he would be able to play in Thursday’s game against Boston.

“Right now it’s a no,” he said. “(It’s*) still sore … Can’t push off enough to play, so I’ll take my time.”
*UPDATE: Bryant was referring not to his ankle sprain, but a strained peroneal tendon in his lower left leg suffered on Feb. 3 against Charlotte.

Bryant conceded that if he wakes up tomorrow and feels drastically different, he’ll play, but doubts that will happen. On the other hand, he has been very pleased with how his teammates have played without him - they’ve gone 4-0 - and said that’s made it easier on him to take his time recovering fully.

“I think they’re playing with a great sense of urgency,” he said. “They’re playing extremely well at both ends of the floor.”

If Bryant does not play on Thursday, he will have four more full days to recover until L.A.’s two-game road stretch through Memphis and Dallas that takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 23-24, 18 days removed from his last game (Friday, Feb. 5).

That, however, does not affect his playing status, as his injury philosophy remains the same.

“If you’re healthy, you play, it doesn’t matter what the upcoming schedule is,” he concluded.

Kobe Bryant Doubtful for Warriors

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on February 16, 2010
in Injury News and Kobe Bryant
. Closed

58932081Kobe Bryant (left ankle), who has missed LA’s last three regular season games in addition to Sunday’s All-Star Game, is doubtful to play in Tuesday’s game against Golden State.

This comes as somewhat of a surprise considering that Bryant participated fully in Monday’s practice, leading to these comments from Phil Jackson.

“He said he didn’t have the normal strength he’d like to have, but it’ll come back,” Jackson said. “That is just getting back in the flow and getting some strength there again, reconditioning it. He hasn’t played in two weeks, so there’s a lot of things that he was trying out and trying to figure out … but he’ll come (around).”

At Tuesday morning’s shootaround, however, the team was disappointed with how Bryant’s ankle responded to Monday’s practice, according to Lakers spokesman John Black.

Bryant will continue to be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.

Bryant, Bynum & Odom: Injury Update

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on February 10, 2010
in Injury News
. Closed

The injury list was longer than usual heading into Wednesday evening’s game in Salt Lake City, but after shootaround we learned from the Lakers PR staff that the following listings remain:

Lamar Odom (foot) - Probable
Kobe Bryant (ankle) - Questionable
Andrew Bynum (hip) - Doubtful

Phil Jackson suggested that Odom will start, Bryant is unlikely to play but remains a game-time decision, and Bynum will not go.

Tuesday Injury Update

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on February 9, 2010
in Injury News
. Closed

Kobe Bryant, who has missed two straight games due to a sprained left ankle, remains a game-time decision for Wednesday’s game in Utah.

“It’s really up to him,” said Phil Jackson. “If he feels like he can play, he’ll play.”

Andrew Bynum, on the other hand, will not be in uniform due to a hip contusion.

“I don’t think Andrew will play,” was Jackson’s quote. “Right now he has kind of resigned himself to the fact that (he won’t play).”

One other piece of injury information from Tuesday is that Lamar Odom missed practice to have an MRI/CAT scan on his sore left foot. Both exams were negative, and Odom is probable for Wednesday.