Xavier Henry to have surgeries Friday on left wrist, right knee

In this file photo, Utah Jazz's Brandon Rush, left, and Derrick Favors defend as Los Angeles Lakers' Xavier Henry (7) passes the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, in Salt Lake City. (Gene Sweeney Jr./The Associated Press file)

In this file photo, Utah Jazz’s Brandon Rush, left, and Derrick Favors defend as Los Angeles Lakers’ Xavier Henry (7) passes the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, in Salt Lake City. (Gene Sweeney Jr./The Associated Press file)

Lakers forward Xavier Henry will have surgery on Friday both to treat a torn ligament in his left wrist and repair a cartilage abnormality in his right knee.

The Lakers plan to release timetables after his surgeries, but Henry estimated last week that his knee surgery would involve a recovery that lasts between six to eight weeks. It’s not clear how long it will take for Henry’s left wrist to heal.

Henry averaged 10 points in 21.1 minutes through 43 games before the Lakers shut him down last week amid persisting pain in both his left wrist and right knee. He had missed 28 games because of bone bruises in his right knee and only one game because of his left wrist injury before vowing that he would play through it.

Henry, 23, was selected 12th overall in the 2010 NBA draft, but struggled both to stay healthy and find a role in three uneventful seasons with Memphis and New Orleans where he never averaged more than 5.3 points per game. Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni has praised Henry for his athleticism, driving and work ethic, but noted he needs to make improvements with his ball handling, shooting stroke and playing with more precision when he attacks the basket.

Henry will become a free agent in July after making just under $1 million this season.

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

Lakers shut down Xavier Henry for rest of the season

Nothing pushed Xavier Henry ever to quit even amid the never-ending injuries and persistent losing.

So the Lakers forced him to do so. They ruled Henry out for the season after nursing persistent pain in a bone bruise in his right knee and a torn ligament in his left wrist that kept him sidelined for a combined 32 games.

“It hurts,” Henry said. “They think it’s taken a toll on me.”

Henry had shown some valiant performances despite the pain, including a 22-point effort last week against New York and a 24-point effort two weeks ago against San Antonio. But he had sat out three of the previous four games because of persisting damage. Henry also went scoreless on four missed field goal attempts in 18 minutes in the Lakers’ loss Tuesday to Portland.

“He was disappointed. He didn’t want that,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said. “The last game showed it where the pain was on his face. I felt for him. Why put him through that. He’s battling all he can to do it. He’s very disappointed he won’t be playing anymore. The guy has a lot of heart.”
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Xavier Henry produces through pain in Lakers’ 127-96 win over Knicks

In this file photo, Utah Jazz's Brandon Rush, left, and Derrick Favors defend as Los Angeles Lakers' Xavier Henry (7) passes the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, in Salt Lake City. (Gene Sweeney Jr./The Associated Press file)

In this file photo, Utah Jazz’s Brandon Rush, left, and Derrick Favors defend as Los Angeles Lakers’ Xavier Henry (7) passes the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, in Salt Lake City. (Gene Sweeney Jr./The Associated Press file)

A collective gasp floats through the air as Xavier Henry explodes to the rim.

The Laker fans at Staples Center feel it. So do Henry’s teammates and coaches.

They continuously marvel as Henry defies gravity, posts a team-leading 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the Lakers’ 127-96 win Tuesday over the New York Knicks at Staples Center and plays uninhibited from a torn ligament in his left wrist that will require offseason surgery.

“He loves to play and battles,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said, shaking his head in amazement, mindful that Henry also has nursed pain from bone spurs in his right knee that kept him sidelined this season for 28 games. “He’s fearless. He’s a tough guy.”

The Lakers equally cringe when they see Henry leaping into the air, afraid that one awkward twist, jump or fall could derail one of the team’s most pleasant surprises.

“He’s like a bull out there. He just goes with no fear,” Lakers center Chris Kaman said. “Maybe that’s part of the reason why he’s hurt.”

Actually, it is the reason why Henry is hurt.

He tore his lateral meniscus in his right knee on Dec. 29 against Philadelphia after he drove to the basket and struggled to regain his footing after running one too many steps. Henry injured his left wrist last week against Washington after exploding to the rim and drawing contact. Hence, why the Lakers have pleaded for Henry to dial back.

“We tell him to be cautious,” Lakers forward Nick Young said. “He’s injured. But he’s got to get going. He’s not listening.”

No he isn’t.

“All the time they tell me I’m crazy,” Henry said. “They say, ‘What are you doing this for? You have nothing to prove.’ I have something to prove to myself. I’m not quitting. I’m not going to take a step back.”
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Xavier Henry to play despite torn ligament in left wrist that needs surgery

The torn ligament in Xavier Henry’s wrist will require surgery. But he will still play, including the Lakers’ game Tuesday against the New York Knicks at Staples Center.

“The good news is it’s torn so I feel like with that mindset, I can’t do too much worse to it,” Henry said. “So I’ll go out and be myself.”
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Xavier Henry to receive MRI on sore left wrist

Although x-rays on his sore left wrist turned out to be negative, Lakers forward Xavier Henry said he will receive an MRI today for precautionary reasons.

Henry said the injury happened at some point in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 117-107 loss Friday to the Washington Wizards at Staples Center. That could mark a discouraging sign considering Henry has also nursed pain from the lateral meniscus tear in his right knee that sidelined him this season for 29 games.

Unlike what has happened most of the Lakers’ roster this season, Henry believes his MRI will bear good news.

“It’s pretty sore and tender, but what can I do,” Henry said. “I just have to battle through this as well.”


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

Xavier Henry fighting through continuous pain in his right knee

Behind the endless drives to the basket and the freakish bursts of speed, Xavier Henry has continuously nursed something perhaps more painful than watching yet another Lakers’ loss, the latest a 125-109 defeat Wednesday to the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center.

This pain involves Henry’s right knee, a lateral meniscus tear that once sidelined him for 29 games this season. Even if Henry’s team-high 24 points on 9-of-22 shooting against the Spurs marked significant progress since appearing in the past eight contests, his right knee still ails him enough that he feels uncertain when it will ever heal.

“Some days my knee feels great,” Henry said. “Some days my knee feels bad. I’m like ‘Man, I have to make it through the day.’ I’m trying my best to stay positive and help my team as much as I can.”

Henry has fulfilled that job description with mixed results.

Four double performances coincided with five games where he shot below 50 percent. Henry sometimes showcases his explosiveness. He sometimes forces the issue. Henry played as if he never had an injury in the first half against San Antonio, posting 19 points on a 8-of-14 clip. Henry played as if he lost his rhythm in the second half, scoring only five points on a 1-of-8 clip.

“Xavier is battling through a lot of stuff,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said. “He could call it quits. He has a little bit of a problem here and there. But he’s playing with pain and wants to play.”
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Xavier Henry to play Monday in Portland

Finally, the Lakers’ injury report involves players returning to the court instead of leaving it.

In what will mark his first game in just over two months because of an injured right knee, Xavier Henry will suit up when the Lakers (20-39) visit the Portland Trail Blazers (41-18) Monday at the Rose Garden. Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said Henry will come off the bench considering his likely rustiness and both Henry and D’Antoni admitting he needs to shed a few pounds stemmed from a lack of substantial exercise during his injury.

Nick Young will miss his fourth consecutive game in Portland because of continued soreness in his left knee. But Henry’s return could cause a logjam at the Lakers’ wing position, which already features newcomers Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks. But D’Antoni still suggested Henry has the potential to play a large role.

“The biggest thing X does is he gives energy, stuff defensively, he gets after it,” D’Antoni said. “Then he can get to the basket. Now, MarShon can do it, but he [Xavier] is one of the few guys that can really create off the dribble and get to the foul line a lot and that will be a welcome back if we can get him back ready to go, he’s still going to be rusty and we’re going to have to slog through a couple of games while he gets ready.”

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Xavier Henry appears in rehab assignment with D-Fenders

After staying sidelined for nearly two months because of a bone bruise in his right knee and an abnormality in his lateral meniscus, Xavier Henry finally returned to the court.

But not in a Lakers uniform.

Henry appeared in a rehab assignment Thursday with the D-Fenders, the Lakers’ Development League affiliate, in what could mark the final steps of his recovery. He posted 15 points and four steals in the D-Fenders’ 121-103 road loss Thursday to the Texas Legends.

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