Gasol, Lakers in Phoenix Wednesday Night

Pau Gasol fought through injury on Tuesday, and he'll have to repeat the effort on Wednesday night when the Lakers take on the Suns.

Late Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers took their luggage and boarded a flight to Phoenix.
Arriving in Phoenix officially started the annual Grammys road trip for the Lakers. This year, the trip features seven games. However, this struggling team is taking it one game at a time.

After a 40-point shellacking to the Clippers, the Lakers came out with energy against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Unfortunately, they fell a couple inches and points short on Tuesday night.

On Wednesday, though, the Lakers wipe the slate clean and take on the Phoenix Suns.

Pau Gasol was a game time decision on Tuesday and remains probable on Wednesday. The Spaniard admitted he was limited in his play after the game.

“It was sore,” Gasol said about his left foot. “It was limiting, but I felt good enough to be out there. I want to be out there with my guys.”

With Xavier Henry out for another week, the Lakers will continue to skate on thin ice. All nine active players played significant minutes on Tuesday, and all nine available players should play notable minutes on Wednesday.

While the Lakers have lost five in a row, the Phoenix Suns are not far behind with three straight losses. Since Eric Bledsoe went down with a knee injury that subsequently resulted in surgery, the Suns have only won two of seven games.

The Lakers are only just launching a marathon road trip, while the Suns are playing their first home game following an arduous five-game trip that featured the Suns zigzagging across the map. Phoenix only won one of those five games.

Barely hanging onto the final playoffs spot, the Suns are slipping.

Of the top 11 teams in the Western Conference, the Suns are the only team with a losing record in their last 10 games. However, this would be the right time to mention that the Lakers have only won one of their last 10 games.

Regardless of how weak and vulnerable the Suns may appear, the Lakers are easier prey.

Wednesday provides as good a chance as any to win a game and break the losing streak, but losing is always the more likely outcome for this skeleton crew of Lakers.

Will the Lakers turn the tide? Tip-off for the Lakers at the Suns is 6:00 pm PST.

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