Stay up to day with the latest news, updates, and press conferences from your Los Angeles Lakers.
Luke Walton underwent a facet rhizotomy - a procedure designed to shut off pain signals that nerves send to the brain through a needle injection into the back - on Thursday morning performed by Dr. Michael Port.
The procedure does not change the timing of Walton’s recovery, as the Lakers forward is expected to miss a minimum of six weeks. According to team sources, Walton is in a considerable amount of discomfort and will be away from the team for a few days while recovering.
Before the third quarter of L.A.’s win over Detroit on Tuesday, Lakers forward Luke Walton talked to beat reporters about his sore lower back, which is expected to keep him out of action for at least six weeks.
On how it happened:
Walton: It was similar to what happened in the preseason, and I came back and it was feeling great. Then I felt a little bit of stiffness in the back, and it got worse and worse every day. There was a little pinch sensation in that back area, which I guess is a pinched nerve, and they said to pretty much shut it down and get all the swelling out of there. Hopefully this time will be the end of it when I come back.
On if he’ll be back by the first of the year:
Walton: I want to be back as soon as possible. Last time they wanted me out longer, but as soon as the back started feeling good I was begging them to let me start playing again, and they did. Obviously that was a mistake, I guess I wasn’t ready yet. But it’s frustrating to have to sit here and watch all the games; I was feeling good out on the court and having fun, but once the back goes it makes it really hard to play at this level when you can’t really move, cut and play defense the way you would like to. I’m going to let them tell me when to play this time, because last time I think I rushed it a little too quickly.
On when he first hurt it:
Walton: If I had a schedule in front of me I could tell you … but it was probably about a week that it’s been pretty bad.
On if he can do rehab:
Walton: Right now we’ve shut it down to where I’m not doing anything, until I can take the anti-inflammatories, work with (L.A.’s training staff), get the swelling down and depending on how bad it is get an injection or something like that. And then once it’s feeling better, do a couple hours of rehab every day on getting everything else strong so that when I come back, hopefully it will be ready to handle what it takes to play an NBA season.
On how long before he can resume rehabilitation exercises:
Walton: It all depends on once the low back feels better, once the muscles aren’t grabbing me every time. I can’t bend over and tie my shoe right now, that’s how tight the muscles are in the back. So once that all starts feeling better, everything’s calmed down, then we’re going to hit the rehab extremely hard.
Pau Gasol can make even the very tall look average, as he does here with 6-6 American tennis pro Sam Querrey.
Querrey, a native of Thousand Oaks, California, currently lives in Santa Monica and was pictured with Pau (a friend of Rafael Nadal’s) at Tuesday’s Lakers - Pistons game.
The third ranked American player, Querrey reached a career-high ATP rank of #22, achieved on August 31, 2009. He also is the owner of the most consecutive aces award since the ATP began keeping those statistics, with 10.
Speaking of aces … I have a feeling Gasol would be able to drop a few bombs into the service box.
With Kobe Bryant’s blistering scoring start to the 2009-10 season, he’s now only 16 points away from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second on the Lakers all-time scoring list.
Bryant, who has hit the 40-point mark four times already in his first 11 games to equal the four total times he hit that plateau last season, is leading the league with a 31.0 points per game average.
The 2009 Finals MVP has scored 24,161 points in his Lakers career, while Abdul-Jabbar’s Lakers mark stands at 24,176. After Kareem, Bryant has Jerry West and his 25,192 points to look forward to. While No. 24’s scoring average could take a slight dip while his assists rise with the return of Pau Gasol, Bryant would potentially surpass the Logo in early February.
Abdul-Jabbar, the league’s all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points, notched 14,211 points in his first six seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. Mr. Clutch ranks 14th on the list, and Bryant 16th.
Lakers forward Luke Walton, who did not play in last night’s game against the Rockets, was today was diagnosed with a pinched nerve and is expected to miss a minimum of six weeks.
Here’s the release from the Lakers PR staff:
Lakers forward Luke Walton was examined today by back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins and has been diagnosed with a pinched nerve. Walton is expected to be out a minimum of six weeks.
Pau Gasol successfully made it through a full practice on Monday.
But how will he do on television?
You can watch for yourself when L.A.’s seven-foot All-Star follows up last season’s “Numb3rs” appearance by guest starring on “CSI: Miami.” The show begins at 10 p.m. on CBS, with the following plot line (via CBS):
The CSIs investigate a horrible car crash to discover who or what caused it. The probe reveals the darkest secrets of the drivers involved. The NBA’s Pau Gasol guest stars as a person of interest in the case.
Kobe Bryant left L.A.’s 101-91 Sunday evening loss to Houston with 2:12 to play in the fourth quarter due to a strained groin originally suffered in a win over New Orleans on Sunday, Nov. 8. Bryant said he tweaked the groin in the first quarter against the Rockets.
“I’ve felt better,” he said after the game. “It’ll be all right though. You just treat it, try to work through it, practice tomorrow and play through it a little bit, see how it goes.”
Phil Jackson said in his postgame press conference that Bryant had skipped L.A.’s three days of practice leading into Thursday’s loss at Denver, when he made 7-of-17 shots for 19 points in three quarters. Against Houston on Sunday, Bryant again struggled to get his usual lift, making 5-of-20 shots towards 18 points.
While Bryant failed to use his groin to explain his poor shooting (”You know I don’t make excuses”) he did admit that a strained groin can affect “running, changing direction, pretty much everything,” adding that one simply had to find a way to fight through it.
Bryant said he did not plan on missing any action, and will go through treatment on Monday morning.
Walton Sits Out with Back Injury
Lakers forward Luke Walton joined Bryant on the injury report, missing the game against Houston. We’ll have more on Walton after practice tomorrow.
Prior to Sunday’s game against Houston, Phil Jackson said that he was “hopeful” Pau Gasol would resume practicing with the team during L.A.’s coming homestand.
Jackson said that Gasol has gone “five days with no soreness,” including days spent running on the treadmill and the Spaniard’s Sunday morning participation in a small amount of on-court work with the team.
“A little shootaround basketball,” said the Head Coach. “Just a limited amount before he did more with his strength and his rehab stuff. But he did get out on the court.”
After shootaround, Gasol told us that he was feeling well, but could not yet put a date on his possible return.
Prior to L.A.’s Friday night win over the Memphis Grizzlies, we spent a few moments with the younger half of what could end up being the most potent brother combination in NBA history (really … check the numbers).
Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies center and younger hermano of L.A.’s own Spaniard, told us about his close relationship with Pau, what it’s like playing against him and more:
MT: You’re averaging 17.6 points on 60 percent shooting along with 12.6 boards per game, good for fourth in the NBA. Anything in particular that helped you make such a leap from your rookie year?
Marc: Just trying to get better every day, pretty much. I’ve started strong, but it doesn’t really matter when your team is 1-4. We’re trying to win games, not just have me get better.
MT: Your brother Pau is constantly talking about you and obviously cares a great deal about your development. How would you describe your relationship?
Marc: We’re very close. We come from a small family, and we have always been very close just like we are with our little brother (Adria), our parents and our grandparents. We hang out all the time together and talk all the time on the phone, pretty much every day.
MT: Pau has told us before how much of an impact the 1992 Olympics had on him in terms of playing basketball as a youth, but you’re five years younger than Pau (Marc was born in 1985, Pau 1980).
Marc: I started playing when I was young, about six years old, because my parents played and Pau played and many of my classmates played. I always played with older kids and had a lot of fun.
MT: Pau is one of the best players in the world. Some would say top 15 or 20, I think top 10 after his defensive improvements last season. Did you realize how good he could be growing up?
Marc: He achieved a lot of things that you didn’t think he would very fast. I think every time he had a challenge, he overcame it, and he plays above everybody’s expectations. He has no limit, and it’s something that we can not take for granted. He’s a winner, a competitor, and a great example for a lot of people.
MT: Do you talk to Pau about his hamstring?
Marc: He’s getting better, it’s just a muscle injury. You don’t want to carry that type of injury all season, you want to be ready to go, so the Lakers of course need him but they have a very deep bench.
MT: You won’t get to do it tonight, but what is it like playing against your brother?
Marc: On the court you don’t have any friends. You are trying to win. You’re trying to help your team, and that’s all that really matters. It doesn’t matter how many points you get or anything like that. I try and play my game against him and try to get him to be less effective, but he is a very effective player that always shoots a very high percentage. He knocks down the outside shot, can drive past you going to the basket, can post you up with his back to the basket … he has so many moves that you can’t just scout him. You have to try and be very physical.
MT: Did you mimic any of his moves growing up?
Marc: Yes of course. He is one of the most skilled players that plays close to the basket so of course you want to learn some moves that he does, but you have to make your own adjustments because you have a different body, a different way to play. I look at him and I also look at Tim Duncan or any other big names around the NBA, or from all-time.
MT: Can you give us an idea of what it’s like playing with Pau on the Spanish National Team, which won the European Championships for the first time last summer?
Marc: It’s easy to play with Pau. He’s obviously our leader, and he has been for so many years that we’re all very proud and happy to be on his team. It was tough for me because I was often on the bench, but anything to help our team win. He plays the five all the time … In Europe there isn’t much space in there without the defensive three second rule, so everybody sits in (the lane). It’s different.
MT: How is it going back to Spain with the growth of basketball that you and especially Pau have helped inspire?
Marc: That’s thanks to Pau. I think he made this sport very big (back home). He broke so many borders around Spain and Europe. Everyone back home is very proud of Pau.
Neither of the Lakers nicked-up big men were on the court with their teammates as the team practiced Saturday afternoon in preparation for their game against the New Orleans Hornets Sunday night.
On Wednesday, Pau Gasol was cleared to resume on-court activities, and had been working out, but sat out today’s workout after feeling some residual pain in his hamstring according to head coach Phil Jackson.
“Last night (he) felt some residual pain and was concerned about it today, so he hasn’t been out on the court with us today,” said Jackson.
Andrew Bynum continued to receive therapy on his sprained right elbow.
As for either of them playing on Sunday, “Doesn’t look good right now but it’ll still be a game time decision,” said Jackson.
Both are officially being listed as doubtful.
After Sunday the Lakers enjoy a rare three day break before returning to action next Thursday against Phoenix. “I can’t see any reason why this should be that extended that it would go on past that time,” offered the head coach.
FROM LAKERS.com
