The Los Angeles Lakers take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday evening at Staples Center, but the home team has some more bad news on the injury front.
Chris Duhon, the Lakers' backup point guard, is a game-time decision after he pulled out of Sunday’s practice with back spasms and did not take part in Monday’s practice. Duhon is averaging four assists in nearly 24 minutes per game over his last 10 games.
If Duhon is unable to play on Tuesday night, Darius Morris should see more time at the point guard position. Morris has started every game since Steve Nash returned from injury, but the second year guard is only averaging about 12 minutes per game over than span. Morris has primarily been used as a defensive specialist early and late in games, but Duhon’s injury could lead to some more ball-handling duties for the Los Angeles native.
During Monday’s practice, Pau Gasol provided some insights into playing with plantar fasciitis when discussing his New Year’s goals. Gasol hoped to get healthy and said that playing with his latest injury “is a pain in the…”
Gasol revealed that the ailment stays sore constantly, but he hopes it will not increase in soreness. To underline the seriousness of the injury, Gasol explained that if the soreness increased, he would be limited in his ability to move and jump. He was hoping for the best, but if the plantar fasciitis got worse, Gasol may have to miss games (see full video).
Finally, point guard Steve Blake is on the road to recovery, but Coach D’Antoni stated that Blake was still a few weeks away from returning. However, D’Antoni had supreme confidence that Blake would be able to pick up the offense in a hurry.
