The Lakers come home tonight, playing at Staples for Game 3 and Game4 with a two-game deficit. The Lakers have beat some incredible odds to get to the playoffs this season, and as we all know, have suffered much more adversity within the last week. But without a win tonight, it will be incredibly difficult for the Lakers to come back in this series; an NBA team has never rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.
Nash and Meeks are doubtful for tonight’s game, and Blake is out indefinitely. Without Kobe Bryant, L.A. really needed Blake to shoot baskets tonight. D’Antoni told media today at practice that Darius Morris would fill in the starting line-up. Morris averaged four points per game on 38.8 percent shooting in 14.2 minutes through 48 games. Chris Duhon or Andrew Goudelock will fill in at point guard is Steve Nash can’t make it by game time. Nash received two epidural injections in his back and a cortisone shot in his right hip.
“I was limping yesterday,” Nash said. “I’m not limping this morning. It’s still a long way from being NBA ready.”
Howard, Metta, and Gasol will again be leading this team tonight. Howard has averaged 18 points on 62.5 percent shooting and 12 rebounds in the first two games against San Antonio. The negative side; he also has 4.5 turnovers and five fouls per contest. Howard is much too often in foul trouble. Gasol has scored 14.5 points on 40-percent shooting.
For the rest of the pregame report, click here.
Game 3, First Round, Western Conference
Los Angeles Lakers at San Antonio Spurs
7:30 PM PST, April 26, 2013
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
TV: TWC SportsNet, ESPN
Radio: 710 ESPN (English) 1330 KWKW (Spanish)
Spurs Projected Starting Line-up
PG: Tony Parker
SG: Danny Green
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Tiago Splitter
Key Reserves: G Manu Ginobili, G Gary Neal, F/C Matt Bonner
Series Summary: Los Angeles 0, Spurs 2
Game 1: Los Angeles 79 at San Antonio 91
Game 2: Los Angeles 91 at San Antonio 102
Game 3: Tonight
Game 4: Apr 28, Los Angeles vs. San Antonio
*Game 5: Apr 30, Los Angeles at San Antonio
*Game 6: May 2, Los Angeles vs. San Antonio
*Game 7: May 4, Los Angeles at San Antonio
*if necessary
Ever been curious to see how much each Lakers player actually makes? Check out LN’s new tab “Salaries” which gives you a breakdown on how much the talent costs, and whether the Lakers can spend within their means. Charts like this offer great insight when deciding whom to pick up and whom to drop in the off-season.
Lakers Nation News
Lakers Shootaround Report: Injury Updates And Kobe In Attendance
Lakers Dunk Of The Week: Dwight Delivers The Flying Alley-Oop
Lakers News: Magic Johnson Says Lakers Have No Chance To Win
Lakers News: NBA Officials Amused By Kobe Bryant’s Playoff Tweets
Lakers Video: Kobe Bryant Talks Post-Retirement Plans On KTLA
Lakers Game Preview: Down 0-2, Lakers Must Win Game 3
Dwight’s Fouls Hurting The Lakers, But Will He Make Adjustments?
Practice Videos: Lakers Talk Closing Quarters Against The Spurs
Lakers News
Injuries–Not the Coach or Front Office–Are What’s Killed the 2012-2013 Los Angeles Lakers [Silver Screen and Roll]
With Their Roster Devastated by Injuries, the Lakers Don’t Have the Firepower to Compete with the Spurs [Silver Screen and Roll]
Lakers Need Dwight Howard to Stay Out of Foul Trouble [LA Times]
Game 3 Preview and Chat: The San Antonio Spurs [Forum Blue and Gold]
Magic Johnson Gives Up on Lakers After Injuries to Steve Nash, Steve Blake, Jodie Meeks [Ball Don’t Lie]
Dwight Howard Accuses Spurs of Flopping [Inside the Lakers]
Quote Round Up: Thursday Practice [Lakers Blog]
Lakers Battle Deficit, Injuries Going Back Home [NBA.com]
Andrew Goudelock Named NBA Development League MVP [LA Times]
Metta World Peace is Taking Pictures of Things Found Inside His Knee [For The Win]
Nash, Blake Injuries Won’t End Lakers’ Resolve vs. Spurs [USA Today]
The 10-Man Rotation, Starring the Teeming Dislike for Dwight Howard [Ball Don’t Lie]
Injuries Just Too Much for Lakers [ESPN]
Podcast: Lakers Injuries Pile Up, the Future for Mike D’Antoni and Phil Jackson, Trips to Mars [Land O’ Lakers]
Murphy’s Law Injury Season Continues [Lakers Blog]
Dwight Howard Believes Spurs are Flopping [LA Daily News]
Lakers Mike D’Antoni, Dwight Howard Look Powerless in Avoiding Sweep to Spurs | Yahoo! Sports
Best NBA Flops of Season Set to Operatic Score [ProBasketballTalk]
Jodie Meeks’ MRI Shows Partial Ligament Tear in Left Ankle [Inside the Lakers]
The Lakers Lose Game 2 Because They Don’t Have as Many Good Players as San Antonio [Land O’Lakers]
Phil Jackson Reportedly Could Receive an Offer From the Toronto Raptors to Run Their Team [Ball Don’t Lie]
Blake Out Indefinitely; Nash, Meeks Doubtful for Game 3 [NBA.com]
Steve Blake Out Indefinitely; Nash and Meeks Doubtful for Friday [LA Times]
A List of Lakers Guards Who are not Injured [The Basketball Jones]
NBA Boss Found Kobe Bryant’s Tweets Ffascinating’ [USA Today]
Dwight Howard Reports Improvement in Injured Right Shoulder, but Still Concedes Pain [Inside the Lakers]
Practice: Pau Gasol [Lakers.com]
Practice: Dwight Howard [Lakers.com]
Practice: Steve Nash [Lakers.com]
Practice: Mike D’Antoni [Lakers.com]
NBA News
Del Negro, Hollins in the Same Coaching Boat [ESPN]
Ray Allen Breaks Reggie Miller’s Record for Most Career Playoff 3-Pointers (Video) [Ball Don’t Lie]
Report: Nets Near Deal to Extend GM Billy King’s Contract [ProBasketballTalk]
Joakim Noah Explains Why ‘plantar fasciitis sucks’ [The Basketball Jones]
Johnson Starts for Nets Against Bulls in Game 3 [NBA.com]
Nets Finalizing Contract Extension for GM Billy King [Yahoo! Sports]
Taj Gibson Puts Kris Humphries on a Poster (VIDEO) [ProBasketballTalk]
Video: Just a Very Good OKC Thunder Chant [The Basketball Jones]
Russell Westbrook Out Indefinitely [ESPN]
Warriors’ Stephen Curry a Gametime Decision for Game 3 [USA Today]
NBA Committee to Decide Kings’ Fate on Monday [NBA.com]
Dominant Zach Randolph Leads Grizzlies to Game 3 Win Over Clippers [ProBasketballTalk]
Zach Randolph and Matt Barnes Celebrate of Their Love of Flagrant Fouls with Hugs, Headbutts (Video) [Ball Don’t Lie]
The Most Insane Russell Westbrook Stat You Will Ever Hear [For The Win]
LeBron Shoes Being Auctioned for Newtown Families [NBA.com]
Bulls, Nets Make Nets’ Offense Stink [ProBasketballTalk]
Jay-Z Wants to Represent Popeye Jones’ Son in the NHL Draft [The Basketball Jones]
LeBron James Unhappy Finishing Second in Voting [ESPN]
What Russell Westbrook’s Injury Means to the Playoffs [USA Today]
Grizzlies Beat Clippers 94-82 to Pull to 2-1 [NBA.com]
MRI Confirms Jeremy Lin Has Bruised Chest, is Day-to-Day [ProBasketballTalk]
Video: Kevin McHale Wants Someone to Turn Those Lights Down [The Basketball Jones]
