Le Basketbawl

The “Los Angeles Daily News” reported Wednesday that Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson now believes that his team might be without their All-Star big man Pau Gasol for quite a while. Like possibly Christmas. Gasol missed the last six preseason games as well as the first seven games of the regular season due to a strained right hamstring and is not expected to play on Thursday night as Los Angeles takes on the Phoenix Suns at the Staples Center.

Jackson told reporters “I find that hard to believe, that it’s gone backwards. … Right now, he’s capable of doing only so much and nothing else. We’re starting to look toward Christmas, though. Some time out there.”

Jackson said that the injury to his veteran big man was perplexing. The Lakers coach said “Yeah, because with most hamstrings you see bleeding or bruises or holes in the hamstring. His has been one of those things wasn’t a big concern to us, but has turned into a month-long injury. But it is mysterious, no doubt about it.”

A little over a week ago Jackson made it sound like Gasol’s return would be imminent. He told reporters the first week of November “We don’t have six weeks. There are ways to come through this without having to jeopardize him.” Well Jax as Mick Jagger sang when New York Vinnie was just a baby; You Can’t Always Get What You Want. Looks like this one of those times.