Lakers' Pau Gasol Tears Fascia – Out 6-8 Weeks

An MRI on Wednesday revealed Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a partial team on his plantar fascia and will miss at least six weeks with the injury.

Pau Gasol underwent an MRI on his injured foot Wednesday, and the results displayed a partial tear of his plantar fascia. Gasol is out indefinitely, but initial expectations have Gasol out at least six to eight weeks. If Gasol opts instead for surgery, the recovery time table could be significantly longer, but the Spaniard would be more likely to make a full recovery.

The Lakers’ center was playing his best basketball of the season averaging 20 points and nine rebounds in the last three games prior to the injury. Gasol was back at the center position with Dwight Howard missing due to a shoulder injury. The Lakers won all three of those road games.

After the win in Brooklyn, Gasol revealed that he “tweaked” his fascia in the first half of Tuesday’s game. However, Gasol continued on, as his team did not have many options. Howard was not available and power forward Jordan Hill was out for the season.

With just over four minutes remaining, Gasol went down

"Just as I took off, I felt a pop in the bottom of my foot, in my fascia,” Gasol revealed after the game. “I couldn’t get up." 

Gasol would eventually get up and try to fight through the pain. However, another 30 seconds on the court provided Gasol all the evidence he needed. He headed straight for the locker room and left Barclay’s Center on crutches. 

While waiting for crutches, Gasol told reporters he was “worried” because this was a new injury he had never experienced before.

With Gasol expected to miss up to two months with the injury, the Lakers will likely not see the Spaniard play for the Lakers until the final games of the season.

The Lakers have been cursed with injured this season: Steve Nash, Steve Blake, Howard, Gasol, and Hill have all missed considerable time through injury. 

Gasol will fly back to Los Angeles on Thursday to see team specialists and seek a second opinion.

At the moment, the Lakers only have rookie Robert Sacre available at the center position, and the short-handed Lakers stay on the road to face the Boston Celtics, Charlotte Bobcats, and Miami Heat over a four-day period.

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