An MRI taken Thursday afternoon revealed that Lakers guard Jodie Meeks has a partial ligament tear in his sprained left ankle, according to a league source.
The Lakers had listed Meeks as doubtful to play in Game 3 Friday of their first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs before he received the MRI. Meeks will continue to take anti-inflammatory medicine and receive treatment in hopes that he can play, according to the source. But that prospect appears unlikely. As of late Thursday night, Meeks couldn’t even wear shoes due to the swelling surrounding his left ankle, the source said.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are also absorbing injuries elswhere as they nurse a 0-2 deficit to the Spurs in their best-of-seven series. Kobe Bryant remains sidelined for the remainder of the season because of a torn left Achilles tendon that kept him out for the previous five games. Lakers guard Steve Blake is considered out indefinitely after an ultrasound Thursday confirmed a moderate right hamstring strain. Lakers guard Steve Nash is tabbed doubtful after receiving two epidural injections in his back and a cortisone shot in his right hip on Thursday.
Meeks didn’t play in the Lakers’ 102-91 Game 2 loss Wednesday to San Antonio after missing the past two practices. Meeks believed he could suit up. But he said he felt otherwise after going through pre-game warmups.
“I wanted to see if I could go, but I couldn’t really move,” Meeks said after the Game 2 loss. “Unfortunately, it’s disappointing. Everybody wants to play especially in the playoffs. It was a tough call to make but I felt like I wouldn’t have been helping the team out if I was out there.”
Meeks believed he felt pain after stepping on an opponent’s foot after driving in for a layup during the Lakers’ 91-79 Game 1 loss Sunday to San Antonio. Either way, Meeks left with 9:11 in the second quarter to get his ankle retaped. He then appeared later in the second half. Meeks played a limited role, scoring only four points on 1 of 4 shooting in 20 minutes. Afterwards, Meeks said he struggled walking and experienced swelling later in the week despite icing, retaping and treating his ankle.
“I just couldn’t move laterally or take quick steps like I usually do,” Meeks said. “If I couldn’t do that in warmups, I definitely couldn’t do that in the game.”
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