Pau Gasol is a game-time decision for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.
After Gasol missed two practices, an MRI revealed that Gasol had suffered a moderate strain of the flexor tendon of his big toe. At Tuesday morning shootaround, he was back on the floor and able to get through everything asked of him.
“Just hyperextended it,” Gasol said on Tuesday morning when asked what happened. “It happened at some point at the end of the first half, so the second half I couldn’t jump.”
Gasol said that he would go through his pregame routine at Staples Center before making a decision on playing.
“I think he will go,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said he expected Gasol to play Tuesday.
In the event, the Spaniard was unable to play, the coach said he would change the lineup and start Chris Kaman and Jordan Hill. If Gasol is fit to go, however, the Lakers will roll out the same lineup that has started for the last four games: Gasol, Robert Sacre, Wesley Johnson, Jodie Meeks and Kendall Marshall.
With the Lakers’ upcoming schedule, D’Antoni was asked if the road trip was coming at a tough time.
“Home games are coming at a tough time, too,” D’Antoni laughed. “Whether it’s on the road or not, we got to worry about us and play hard and play together and then, try to eek out some wins.”
In other injury news, Nick Young skipped practice on Sunday with a sore back but did take part in the Monday session. According to D’Antoni, Young said he felt better and was progressing. Also, Xavier Henry was set to be re-evaluated for an injured knee, but he was effectively ruled out of Tuesday and Wednesday’s games.
