Pau Gasol said tonight that he’s still unsure when his strained right hamstring will be sound enough to allow him to make his 2009-10 debut. He sat out of his seventh game tonight, watching from the bench in street clothes as the Lakers thumped the New Orleans Hornets. Here’s more of what he had to say after the game.

“Well, it’s been tough so far and I just have to be patient and make sure I feel good.”

Question: Will you play Thursday against the Phoenix Suns?
Answer: “I don’t know. I’m still day-to-day and I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”

Q: What can’t you do?
A: “There are lots of things I can’t do. … It’s just not there yet and it will take a little more time. It’s tough. It’s been hard so far. I have no other option than to stay positive and be patient. It’s a matter of time before it gets better. That’s what they keep tellling me and I have to get it in my mind.”

Q: Does it help that the team is winning?
A: “It’s definitely a relief. Hopefully, we’ll continue to do well and keep winning, so I can sleep better at night.”

Q: You have three days off now before playing the Suns on Thursday.
A: “More days without games is better. I suffer a little less.Then it’s a matter of not having to watch the team play without me. It’s a day-to-day kind of thing.”

Q: Is there a timetable for your return?
A: “Every time I put a timetable in my mind I get disappointed, so I can’t afford that anymore. It’s a matter of time before it gets better. When, who knows? They can’t tell me. I can’t tell anybody. I wish I knew for certain because it would help my mind and spirit. But, so far, I have to take it easy and go one day at a time.”