Pau Gasol will not play tonight against the Utah Jazz

The Lakers have reported that Pau Gasol will sit out tonight's game against the Utah Jazz with an upper respiratory infection. Chris Kaman will start in his place, alongside either Shawne Williams, Robert Sacre or Jordan Hill in the front court.

This is the second game this week with a sidelined Gasol, as he missed last Saturday's tilt against the Golden State Warriors with the very same illness. Pau did play in the Christmas day game against the Heat however, notching a double-double with 13 points and 13 boards. He did not travel with the team yesterday to Salt Lake City and will be staying in LA hoping to get better for Sunday's game against Philadelphia at STAPLES Center.

Even against the worst team in the Western Conference, missing Gasol tonight will throw a gigantic wrench into the Lakers' game plan tonight. They'll be missing Steve Nash, Steve Blake and Kobe Bryant as well, leaving LA with a skeleton crew against a Jazz squad that's played much better as of late.

--MAMBINO

--Follow this author @TheGreatMambino