Donde esta Pau Gasol?
That has been the question around the Lakers since early in training camp, when the Spanish seven-footer that was key to the Lakers title run went down with a hamstring injury. One that didn’t look very big upon first examination (or really, any of the other ones), so nobody thought it would take that long to be back.
But Gasol has missed the first seven Lakers games, and will miss at least the next two as well. He’s frustrated, and it’s pretty clear Phil Jackson is frustrated as well.
Newspaper guy: Do you know when he'll practice again? He thought maybe in a few days, after some treadmill running? Do you have a target date?
Jackson: "No. We're starting to look toward Christmas, though. Some time out there."
Newspaper guy: That's a ways away.
Jackson: "Yes, it is. You know how we are. We always say, 'Let's not put anything out there that's futuristic. We'll just get disappointed.' He's very disappointed right now."
Phil’s tone was joking about Christmas, but the frustration was there as well. Gasol himself said his leg is at 50 percent, maybe 60 percent, but he can’t go all out yet. His goal is to be able to run two days in a row on the treadmill without pain, and then he can take the next step of returning to practice. Thanksgiving seems about the right timeline to see him back.
It may be slow, but this is not all bad for the Lakers. Pau Gasol has played basketball non-stop for three years — winter in the NBA then summer with the Spanish national team. (And contrary to some rumors out there, this injury is not on that Spanish team, Gasol hurt it in Lakers training camp.) A little forced rest for a few weeks could be a good thing to keep Gasol fresh.
Besides, the Lakers are 6-1. Andrew Bynum is back (and will be back Thursday night) and is flourishing having the entire post to himself. Kobe Bryant is posting up more (36% of his shots this season). The Lakers are playing well.
And what really matters is that the Lakers are playing well next April through June, when the playoffs roll around. And for that, they need a healthy Gasol, not one with a nagging hamstring injury because he rushed back to play in November.
Kurt Helin is a slow runner but it has nothing to do with a hamstring injury, so NBA/Lakers blog Forum Blue & Gold (which you can also follow in twitter).
