Lakers Injury Updates: Gasol off crutches, Nash's back is getting better

Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers is off of his crutches and back in the training room after tearing his plantar fascia, which he revealed on Twitter in a conversation with Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.

The Lakers initially announced that Gsaol would be out a minimum of six-to-eight weeks after he suffered the injury. There has been no official update on the timetable, but Mike D'Antoni does not believe Gasol will be able to impact the Lakers' playoff chances by the time he returns.

In other news, Steve Nash tweaked his back in the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, but believes it will be back to normal shortly with an increased treatment regimen, via Mark Medina of L.A. Daily News:

Nash said following the Lakers’ win over Dallas he believes the back will heal soon because the schedule only entails two home games Thursday (Minnesota) and Sunday (Atlanta).

"It actually felt a little better tonight," said Nash, who posted 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting and five assists in the Lakers’ 119-108 loss Tuesday to the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. "It’s on its way out."

That’s because Nash received increased treatment from Lakers physical therapist Judy Seto.

The Lakers are off until Thursday when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Los Angeles.

- Drew

- Follow this author on Twitter @DrewGarrisonSBN

More on the Lakers:

• Backstage with the Lakers in Dallas
• NBA rescinds Kobe's technical foul
• Playoffs? Lakers Face Long Odds
• Lakers lose in Denver, final score 119-108
• Beast or Burden: The Lakers have to keep on plugging away at their schedule