With the team fresh off a loss and a few players suffering injuries or re-aggravating injuries against the Thunder, the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference will get even tougher moving forward. The major injury concern following the loss to the Thunder was Kobe Bryant seemingly re-injuring his elbow. Kobe was tangled up with Thabo Sefolosha and began cringing in pain while favoring his right arm.
Fortunately, after a trip to the locker room with athletic trainer Gary Vitti, Kobe returned to the floor and was noticeably in pain with ulnar contusion. Kobe scored 30 points against the Thunder regardless of the injury, but the five-time NBA champion wasn’t the only one playing through pain on Tuesday.
Dwight Howard also re-aggravated an injury on Tuesday by tweaking his shoulder. Howard played through the pain and let the media know some interesting things following the loss to Oklahoma City Thunder.
Apparently, Howard has been receiving support from 11-time NBA champion and former Lakers head coach Phil Jackson. Jackson and Howard have been exchanging text messages with the Zen Master.
Jackson has experience rehabbing from back surgery and tells Howard that he’ll need a full year to recover. Of course, with Jackson texting Howard, the speculation starts to run rampant about the Zen Master’s return to the Lakers. Although that’s what everyone wants to happen with seemingly no one happy with Mike D’Antoni running the show in Los Angeles, it’s highly doubtful Jackson returns.
Lakers Nation News
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Lakers Nation Wishes Happy Birthday to Center Shaquille O’Neal
Lakers News: Steve Blake Discusses Fan Reaction to Missed Shot
Lakers News: Kobe, Howard, World Peace Expected to Play Wednesday
Dwight Howard Has Maintained Relationship With Phil Jackson Since 2009
Lakers News: Team Remains Positive Despite Loss to OKC
Lakers’ Kobe Bryant Heads to The Locker Room With Arm Injury
Lakers Dwight Howard Receiving Supportive Text From Phil Jackson
Kobe Conditioning Story On Reddit Discusses Bryant’s Crazy Workout Routines
Lakers News: Team to Play Two Exhibition Games in China
OKC Thunder Crowd Best in The League, in Kobe’s Words And Mine
VIDEO: Kobe Bryant Appears in Nike’s Commercial in Asia
Lakers News
The Playbook: The Defining Stretch in OKC [Silver Screen & Roll]
Pau Gasol to Seek Clearance for Running Drills [Silver Screen & Roll]
Roundtable: Who Falls Out of The Playoffs [Silver Screen & Roll]
MWP: Twists Ankle, Blames ‘Harlem Shake’ [Silver Screen & Roll]
Lakers Listless in Loss [OC Register]
Bryant Puts Up Courageous Effort With Injured Elbow [OC Register]
Bryant’s Heroics Give Lakers Lift [OC Register]
Whicker: Bryant Continues to Carry Heavy Load for Lakers [OC Register]
Live Discussion: Will the Lakers Make The Playoff? [LA Times]
Dwight Howard Says He Could Have Sat Out Season Until Now [LA Times]
Lakers Traveling to China in October for Preseason [LA Times]
Dwight Howard Not Second-Guessing His Return From Surgery [LA Times]
No Need For Papal Conclave: Paul And Howard Will Be Staying in LA [LA Times]
Lakers Forward Metta World Peace: Serge Ibaka ‘Deserves A Pass’ On Blake Griffin Foul [LA Daily News]
Dwight Howard Sympathizes With Atlanta’s Josh Smith Getting ‘Posterized’ By Kobe Bryant [LA Daily News]
NBA News
Pacers’ Danny Granger To Miss A Week With Knee Soreness [Sports City]
VIDEO: Thunder Fan Hits Half-Court Shot For $20K [Sports City]
VIDEO: Thunder’s Serge Ibaka Rejects Dwight Howard’s Dunk [Sports City]
NBA Rumors: Kyle Korver Top Offseason Target For The Nuggets [Sports City]
VIDEO: Timberwolves Mock Miami Heat’s Harlem Shake [Sports City]