Bynum, Gasol to Miss Sunday Night Game

by DexterFishmore on Nov 7, 2009 8:12 PM PST

Broderick Turner of the LA Times reports tonight that neither Andrew Bynum nor Pau Gasol will play against the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday. Both still are feeling pain from their injuries and were unable to practice on Saturday. Gasol has not seen game action in almost a month. He last played on October 9th, in a preseason game against Golden State.

Like the Memphis Grizzlies, the Hornets have a pair of big men who can score, in Emeka Okafor and David West. They're both off to strong starts this season. DJ Mbenga will presumably start once again, with Josh Powell seeing significant minutes off the bench.

Phil Jackson did sound a note of confidence about Bynum's and Gasol's eventual recoveries:

"We have a three-day break after the game on Sunday and I can't see any reason why this should be that extended that it would go on past that time."

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Is it just me

but the injuries to Gasol and Bynum lower the Lakers to the same level as other teams trying to make the playoffs. Okafur will be tough. But! With LO on the Lakers it is still a great matchup and great adversity for this Laker team. This will test the mettle for the rest of the Lakers. Let’s hope they come through. Either that or Kobe will reach his 100th 40pt game which will make it all worth it. I cannot believe how amazing Kobe has been for this team. We might take him for granted at times…

"When I walked into the locker room on my first day as a Laker and saw my gold uniform hanging there, I cried." - Magic Johnson (Best Laker Ever)

by PURPLE AND GOLD FOR LIFE on Nov 7, 2009 8:21 PM PST reply actions

with no bynumite or gasol again

kobe will likely have to put up 40+ again
or artest or odom both have strong nights

When I look at Boris Diaw, I think of Beethoven and the age of the romantics... -The Great Bill Walton

1955,1959,1963,1965,1981,1988...
1949,1950,1952,1953,1954,1972,1980,1982,1985,1987,1988,2000,2001,2002, 2009...

by shaqfor3 on Nov 7, 2009 8:59 PM PST up reply actions

LO will definitely need to beast out

If he doesn’t … poor Kobe … he’ll definitely have to put up 40 + points again

LO can’t score only 3 puntos, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and fouling out in 29 minutes of burn will not get it done against a desperate Hornets team.

Kobe will have Ron, but he’s gonna need LO to seriously step it up on Sunday against the Hornets.

Lakers 2009 Road to Redemption: TREVOR, DEREK, LAMAR, PAU & KOBE.
Play the game of which Lakers reminds you of: TA - TI, Shannon Brown - Chris Brown, Pau Gasol - Jesus, Machine - Luis Scola/Russell Brand, PJ with mustache and beard - Colonel Sanders.

by PeanutButterSpread on Nov 7, 2009 9:28 PM PST up reply actions

As long as everyone is healthy and playing well by February I think the Lakers will be just fine.

by intuitive on Nov 7, 2009 9:08 PM PST up reply actions

Only reason I'm not overly worried

Is that NO’s frontcourt reserves are horrible except for Ike Diogu, who Scott inexplicably doesn’t play in front of either Armstrong (plain horrible in every category imaginable; currently has a pathetic 8.37 PER) or Songaila (okay on midrange jumpers but otherwise really soft). Okafor is a decent scorer, but not good enough to turn it into a continual mismatch for NO the entire evening against Mbenga. Odom and Artest should check West pretty well also.

The only real question is whether the Lakers can somehow slow down Chris Paul, who has been downright ridiculous so far this season (an absolutely mind-blowing 36.01 PER on an otherworldly 74.9 TS%). That said, NO has to find some way to slow down Kobe, and given that their options are Morris Peterson, Devin Brown, and Bobby Brown (who somehow gets minutes ahead of Collison and also plays the off-guard with Paul for some reason), that’s going to be a rather large problem for them. Assuming that those two break even, we should have the edge in terms of depth, given how Peja has fallen off a cliff and NO’s backcourt and frontcourt rotations are otherwise awful.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

by Ben R on Nov 7, 2009 11:23 PM PST reply actions

Ah

Just forgot about Posey in terms of who can guard Kobe, which is testament to 1) how bad of a signing that was for NO 2) how much Posey has dropped off a cliff as well. That said, Scott is apparently starting Devin Brown ahead of Mo Peterson, which is odd considering that Peterson at least has the length to somewhat bother Kobe, so expect a heavy diet of post-ups this evening as well.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

by Ben R on Nov 8, 2009 1:13 AM PST up reply actions