Steve Nash holds no regrets on joining Lakers

Although he described a possible partnership with the Toronto Raptos this offseason as a “very very serious option,” Lakers guard Steve Nash reiterated that his ultimate signing with the Lakers hinged on two variables.

First involved his three children that live in Phoenix, including his eight-year-old twin daughters Lola and Bella and two-year-old son Matteo.

“I really get to see my kids a lot compared to if I played in Toronto or New York,” Nash said in an interview with this newspaper. “I barely have seen them. Now I’ve seen them a ton. That means everything to me. It’s hard enough on me as it is. I can only imagine how hard it would be if I had barely seen them.”
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Mike D’Antoni says it’s possible Pau Gasol will still come off bench

In just his first game since missing the previous five because of a concussion, Lakers forward Pau Gasol pleasantly surprised coach Mike D’Antoni.

D’Antoni believed Gasol may lack stamina. Gasol showed energy. D’Antoni predicted Gasol’s timing may be off after missing a week and a half of basketball practice. Gasol showed more awareness possibly because he also further healed the plantar fasciitis in his right foot. D’Antoni assigned Gasol a bench spot to ease the transition. In the Lakers’ 99-90 loss Thursday to the Miami Heat, Gasol’s 12 points on 4 of 7 shooting, four rebounds and four assists in efficient 25 minutes showed the Lakers forward didn’t miss a step.

Perhaps Gasol provided too strong of a performance because it’s tilted D’Antoni’s thinking on how to use him. After proclaiming Thursday that Gasol will definitely start beginning Sunday against Toronto, D’Antoni says the starting spot at power forward remains uncertain.

“Today is a new day,” D’Antoni said. “Whatever we’ll see.”

Will the Lakers return with Gasol, who’s averaged a career-low 12.2 points on 42 percent shooting and 8.2 rebounds in 33 minutes? Or will the Lakers continue banking on Earl Clark, who’s had a breakout week after having an increased role during Gasol’s absence?

“We’ll see. I don’t know if that’s viable,” D’Antoni said about Gasol being a bench player. “He’s probably not going to like it. That’s just a wild guess.”

D’Antoni’s right.

When I relayed the news on how D’Antoni suddenly changed his tune, Gasol’s reiterated his sentiments afterwards that he wants to remain a starter.

“We all have a job to do,” Gasol said. “I’m a believer you have to put the best team on the floor. I agree with that 100 percent. Hopefully I’m part of that team.”

Usually he has.

Gasol only started in three games during his rookie season with the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2001-02 campaign.

“I’ve been a starter my entire career,” Gasol said. “I’ve been a star starter my entire career. I want to continue to be a star starter.”

Gasol has hardly been a star under D’Antoni.

The Lakers forward has missed a combined 13 games, including eight from knee tendinitis and five from a concussion. Gasol continuously laments that D’Antoni’s offense that emphasizes floor spacing and outside shooting significantly hinders his post presence.

Meanwhile, Clark has shown in recent games that his outside shooting, energy and versatility helps space the floor better. He also serves as a better complement to Dwight Howard.

“I’m not a coach,” Howard said. “We all want to win. It might be good Pau comes off the bench and have Earl in the starting lineup or we can go back and have Pau in the lineup. Every piece in this puzzle is important. It doesn’t matter who is on the floor. They have to realize that whatever they bring to the table will help our team. They have to do it wholeheartedly and just play.”

Gasol did just that in his first game off the bench.

He aggressively found opportunities inside, made jumpers and hustled for rebounds. Even with a reduced role, Gasol and Howard played the entire fourth quarter together.

“Starting does not matter,” D’Antoni said. “Last 10 minutes of a game, last eight minutes, that matters. That’s where we’re going to have some problems if something happens.”

Gasol agreed with that point.

“The finishing is more important,” he said. “The best players should finish off games. That’s the way it has to be. When the game is on the line, you want to be on the floor. That’s important.”

But it remains to be seen whether Gasol will buy into D’Antoni’s vision as a possible role player. Does D’Antoni have to somehow convince Gasol to buy into his idea?

“My job is to put the best team on the floor,” D’Antoni said. “If I feel that’s the best way to go, I’ll go that way. If I don’t, then it’s nothing personal. I have to do what I think is right. I think every player has to accept that, whether they like it or not. Does he deserve to start? Yeah he does. He’s been here a long time and that will probably happen. If it doesn’t, you got go on. You got to contribute. You have teammates to think about. You have the Lakers to think about. You have to do whatever you think is best for the Lakers. Whether you agree or not, that’s something else.”

D’Antoni said he’s talked about such an idea. Gasol said they haven’t since initially agreeing he would come off the bench first before immediately phasing back into the lineup.

“It’s good to know and have that certainty,” Gasol said. “So there’s no unexpected surprises.”

Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter. E-mail him at mark.medina@dailynews.com

Steve Blake sidelined at least for another week

Despite playing in limited practices for the first time in over two months, Lakers guard Steve Blake will have to wait some more before playing in an actual game.

The Lakers have penciled out Blake for the team’s upcoming three-game trip with stops against the Toronto Raptors (Sunday), Chicago Bulls (Monday) and Memphis Grizzlies (Wednesday). After visiting sports hernia specialist Dr. Bill Brown in Las Vegas on Thursday, Blake is scheduled to receive a cortisone shot in his groin area on Sunday.

Blake has stayed sidelined since Nov. 11 and had abdominal surgery in early December. Although Lakers Dr. Steve Lombardo has said Blake’s abdomen healed, he has nursed persistent pain in his groin area near his inner thigh. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection last Friday, but Blake said he hasn’t felt the intended effects yet.

“We’ll take a week to let (the cortisone shot) settle and then we’ll start ramping him up,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We don’t have a timetable, but we’ll be re-evaluated in a week and we’ll see. Hopefully for his sake and ours that he’s able to play pretty soon.”

Blake has played in seven games, averaging 5.1 points on 35.3 percent shooting and 3.4 assists in 26 minutes as the team’s backup point guard. Although he hasn’t played for him, D’Antoni considers Blake an ideal fit for his system because of his playmaking instincts.

Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter. E-mail him at mark.medina@dailynews.com

Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard among starters for Western Conference All-Star team

The reaction toward the Lakers’ two All-Star selections couldn’t have been different.

Kobe Bryant’s finishing as the NBA’s leading vote getter (1.6 million) sounded as routine as one of his game-winners. He’s led the league in scoring (XX) points per game and will appear in his 15th All-Star game Feb. 17 in Houston.

Dwight Howard’s ascension into the Western Conference as the fourth-leading vote getter (922,070) immediately sparked criticism among the TNT analysts.

“I don’t think Dwight Howard had an All-Star season this year,” TNT analyst Charles Barkley said on the air. “I always though Dwight was the best big man in the game, but he hasn’t played like that. Plus, I would penalize that because the Lakers aren’t winning.”

The Lakers (17-21) enter tonight’s game against the Miami Heat (25-12) on a two-game winning streak after losing six consecutive games. The Lakers all season have hovered around 11th place in the Western Conference.

Meanwhile’ Howard’s points (17.8) and rebounds (12.6) marks his lowest statistical output since his 2006-07 season in Orlando. Part of that at least reflects coming off of nine-month back surgery and playing alongside Bryant.

Those two will join the Clippers’ Blake Griffin and Chris Paul as well as Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant as the West starters. The Eastern Conference will feature Miami’s LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, New York’s Carmelo Anthony and Boston’s Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett.

Both Bryant, Garnett and Shaquille O’Neal are the only players to appear in 15 NBA All-Star games. Former Lakers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for most All-Star appearances (19). Bryant has collected several All-Star records, including points (271) and MVPS (four, tied with Bob Petit).

NBA fans voted for the starters, while coaches will select the reserves. But Howard’s seventh all-star appearance is also somewhat surprising because NBA eliminated the center position in this year’s ballot. In theory, that could’ve helped more forwards earn a nod.

Possible Western Conference starters could’ve included San Antonio’s Tim Duncan, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, San Antonio’s Tony Parker and Houston’s James Harden.

Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter. E-mail him at mark.medina@dailynews.com

Pau Gasol to come off the bench against Miami Heat

After missing five games in the past week because of a concussion, Pau Gasol says he “feels better” and will play tonight when the Lakers (17-21) host the Miami Heat (25-12) tonight at Staples Center.

But it won’t be in a role he’s accustomed to doing. For the first time since his rookie season in the 2001-02 campaign, Gasol will come off the bench.

The Lakers say Gasol, Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni and trainer Gary Vitti discussed the role with D’Antoni ultimately deciding. He said the role mostly hinges on Gasol’s conditioning and not practicing for the past 10 days since nursing a concussion.

“We’re going to watch him tonight,” D’Antoni said. “He’s going to be limited in what he does. Then ease him back in.”

Both Gasol and D’Antoni say that could happen as early as Sunday when the Lakers visit the Toronto Raptors.

“It kind of makes sense,” said Gasol, who visited with neurologist Dr. Vern Williams Thursday in what marked his seventh visit since having the concussion. “First game to come off the bench and ease back into it with this game. They weren’t expecting me to play tonight. Maybe it would be better basketball wise to get conditioning drills and workouts and playing more before I get back so I could get better. But I want to play and be out there.”

For now, Lakers forward Earl Clark will make his fourth consecutive start at power forward and match up with Miami’s Chris Bosh. What a way for Clark to celebrate his 25th birthday, a day after missing practice because of a fever.

“I won’t miss out on this opportunity,” said Clark, who averaged 12.75 points and 10.25 rebounds per game in the past four games. “I’ll be ready to play. I’m just happy I woke up this morning … It’s great. I couldn’t ask for anything else. Hopefully we get a win. It’s a cool feeling.”

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Mitch Kupchak skeptical Lakers will be “active” before Feb. 21 trade deadline

Whenever things don’t go right for the Lakers, the first instinct involves making immediate changes.

But Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak sounded skeptical such a thing will happen before the Feb. 21 trade deadline.

“We don’t have many options, to be honest with you,” Kupchak said Wednesday at the Lakers All-Access event at Staples Center, hosted by the LA Sports & Entertainment Commission. “It’s not like we’re going to be active or overly active in the trade market.”
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Steve Blake unsure about return; will seek second opinion Thursday

Lakers guard Steve Blake made a small sliver of progress on Wednesday by participating in three-on-three drills for the first since suffering a lower abdominal injury that’s sidelined him for just over two months.

Blake reported “some pain” and maintains there’s “no timetable” on his recovery. He plans to seek a second opinion from Dr. Bill Brown in Las Vegas less than a week after receiving a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection from Dr. Peter Yoon to treat his groin.

Blake’s pain in his lower abdomen went away shortly after surgery on Dec. 5, but pain in his groin area emerged shortly before the procedure.

“The way my stomach was hurting so bad, I didn’t really feel [the groin pain],” Blake said. “Once this healed, it made the other thing magnified. It’s something I have to deal with right now and hope it doesn’t get worse.”

It’s the latest case of an injury that has sidelined him since Nov. 11. Blake has played in seven games, averaging 5.1 points on 35.3 percent shooting and 3.4 assists in 26 minutes as the team’s backup point guard. Although he hasn’t played for him, Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni considers Blake an ideal fit for his system because of his playmaking instincts.

Blake considered his three-on-three drills to be a “breakthrough,” but it also reinforced how long the injury has kept him sidelined.

“I feel a little more confident in myself. I haven’t played like that in a long time,” Blake said. “It’s frustrating. You think you’re going to heal and be totally okay. You take care of one thing and then it just magnifies another injury I was having.”

Blake sensed the pain level in his groin area growing two weeks ago, which marked one month after his surgery.

“Because I stopped playing and moving, I only felt my abdomen,” Blake said. “If I was still running around, I probably would’ve known my groin was really hurting.”

But that didn’t happen.

Blake had been limited to stationary shooting drills because any slight movement could make his injury worse. The PRP injection involves blood being taken from the patient and isolating the components, but Blake said not enough time has passed for him to feel the effects yet.

After his doctor visit on Thursday, Blake hopes to have more clarity on how much pain he can tolerate when he’s on the court.

“Supposedly it won’t get worse, but I’m going to find that out,” Blake said. “I have a high tolerance for pain. I’ll see if I can do it. Am I going to benefit the team not playing 100 percent? If the answer is yes, I’ll do what I can to play through it. If not, I’ll sit down.”

Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter. E-mail him at mark.medina@dailynews.com

Pau Gasol “optimistic” he will play vs. Miami, considering coming off the bench

After nursing a week-long concussion and struggling through the various tests needed to seek medical clearance, Lakers forward Pau Gasol said he’s “optimistic” he will play when the Lakers host the Miami Heat Thursday at Staples Center.

It’s not definitive, though.

Gasol plans to visit with neurologist Dr. Vern Williams Thursday morning on what will mark his seventh visit since nursing the concussion. Still, Gasol made incremental progress Wednesday by participating in a series of three-on-three drills with teammates Steve Blake, Chris Duhon, Jodie Meeks, Devin Ebanks and Robert Sacre. Gasol also revealed he’s had discussions with Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni and trainer Gary Vitti about coming off the bench to ease his way back into the lineup after missing the past five games.

“I have a lot of say in it,” said Gasol, who’s averaged a career-low 12.2 points on 41.6 percent shooting and 8.4 rebounds. “I would always like to start and play 40 minutes. But that’s not the best thing right now.”

That means it’s possible Lakers forward Earl Clark would start regardless of the outcome. Clark has emerged in the rotation since Gasol’s five-game absence. Though Clark missed Wednesday’s practice because of a flu-like symptoms, he’s expected to play against Miami.

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Kobe Bryant wishes Pau Gasol handled concussion differently

Kobe Bryant understands completely what Pau Gasol’s going through with his week-long concussion.

Bryant suffered one last season during the 2012 NBA All-Star game after Dwyane Wade accidentally elbowed him in the nose. Gasol suffered one last week during the Lakers’ loss Jan. 6 over the Denver Nuggets after JaVale McGee accidentally elbowed his nose.

Even though Bryant rightfully pointed out there’s nothing anyone can do to “expedite” his recovery, he also expressed irritation over how the Lakers’ forward has handled it.

“I was a little angry with him the other day because he’s coming to practice and coming to the games,” Bryant said. “Stay home. Cut all the lights off. Just rest. Let your brain rest. But he wants to be around [the team]. That’s the type of teammate he is.”
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Lakers request disabled players exception for Jordan Hill

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said the team applied for a disabled players exception for Jordan Hill, who has said he will have surgery on his left hip and is expected to be out at least six months.

“There’s no downside,” Kupchak said in a brief interview with this newspaper. “It gives us more flexibility. It’s not like we’re anticipating using it, but you never know.”

The injured player must be considered sidelined until at least June 15. Assuming the NBA grants them the exception, the Lakers would have an additional $1.78 million to spend. They could use that to sign a free agent for up to one season or acquire a player making up to $1.88 million through a trade.

Does Kupchak believe he needs to add a player to his 14-player roster.

“No,” he said. “Earl Clark, unexpectedly, seems to have stepped up and provided minutes at that position. We still have a full roster so we’ll see.”

Clark entered the Lakers’ game Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks averaging 12.5 points and 10.8 rebounds in 30.5 minute through four games while Pau Gasol remains sidelined with a concussion.