Pau Gasol News

Phil Jackson might want to rethink this thing. Before Friday's game, long before the Denver Nuggets thumped the Lakers, pounding them in practically every category in front of an amped-up crowd, Jackson said he didn't consider Denver to be a Western Conference rival.

Twelve games aren't much of a measuring stick, even for a veteran team. Twenty-five games would be a better indicator of how things are going.

The forward/center, who made his season debut Thursday night against the Bulls, makes the Lakers contenders again.

Today's practice centered mostly around learning injury statuses for various players, a task that later received a surprise goosing with news that Luke Walton is expected to miss a minimum of six weeks with a pinched nerve in his back.

The former Galu tribe members try not to let Russell out of their sights so he can't find another hidden immunity idol.

As the Lakers landed at LAX sometime around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, Phil Jackson took stock of his team, considered its up-and-down two-day basketball binge, and canceled the practice that was scheduled later in the day.

Tim Duncan , Spurs: 21 points , 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block and 1 steal versus the Jazz.

Check that. He apparently will take the opposite approach. ''I probably won't get a haircut,'' he said Wednesday after practice at USC's Galen Center.

Mike Bresnahan covers the Lakers for the Times. Readers' questions about the Lakers will be answered every week.

Everyone's trying to figure out when Pau Gasol will finally be able to suit up after a hamstring injury that's sidelined him since the preseason.

Pau Gasol finally will play for the Lakers tonight when they face the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center.

It was Wednesday's big news from El Segundo, more so than the presence on the practice court of Matt Lauer .

Voting began on Tuesday for the 59th NBA All-Star Game with supporters allowed to select their favourites by text message for the first time.

The lowest-scoring half in franchise history figured to provide enough motivation for the Los Angeles Lakers in their latest game.

Lakers forward Pau Gasol guest stars on tonight's episode of "CSI: Miami," which airs on CBS at 10 p.m. PT.

Lakers forward Luke Walton has been diagnosed with a pinched nerve. Walton was examined Monday by back specialist Dr.

There is no question that much of the Nuggets ' success this season hinges on their ability to handle the NBA 's best big men.

The Lakers 7-2 start without star big man Pau Gasol should serve as a wake up call to everyone around the league who believed Andrew Bynum could not be a dominate big man in the NBA.A One of the reasons for Bynum's emergence is the absence of Gasol.

The Denver Nuggets served notice on two fronts with their dismantling of the Los Angeles Lakers: Last year was no fluke and this year they're legit.

The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a great start in the West, and why shouldn't they be? Not only do they have the most talented roster in the league, but the schedule-maker dealt them a pretty sweet hand for the early weeks of the season.