Gasol, Bynum updates

Here is a sneak-peak at the Lakers notebook that will appear in Monday's paper:

Andrew Bynum said he would be ready to play in the Lakers' regular-season opener Tuesday against the Clippers. His strained right rotator cuff was no longer troubling him this afternoon. Neither was a sore left Achilles or a tight left hamstring.

Pau Gasol's status for opening night was less certain, although he made it seem as if Friday's game against the Dallas Mavericks or next Sunday's contest against the Atlanta Hawks might be more realistic. His strained right hamstring was no better.

Bynum laughed when asked if he was ready to play all 48 minutes Tuesday.

"Everything's good," he said. "I came in early and got treatment, so everything's good. I'm feeling good. The shoulder, I got over it in a few days. I also had something tender in my hamstring, but I took a couple of days off and it calmed down."

Gasol couldn't say for certain whether he would suit up against the Clippers.

"I didn't practice today and it doesn't look like I'm going to practice tomorrow," he said. "In the long run, in the big picture, I try to tell myself that the most important thing is that I get myself healthy at this point in the year, so I can continue to be healthy.

"I don't want to re-injure myself or put myself in a risky situation. Then I won't be helping my team in the long run. That's what I'm trying to keep in mind."