STILL AT STAPLES

Not a good night last evening it seems. Although

yes, Steve Nash joined in playing with the team and

Chris Kaman did a good job making 25 points.

Sigh......it made 6 straight defeats at home though.

Coach D'Antoni had Shawne Williams playing as

power forward replacing Ryan Kelly. Upon that note,

we remember back to 1992-1993, the Lakers lost 6

consecutive games at the Forum in March of that

season. The 18-34 Lakers have been taken off

a nationally scheduled telecast for the 3rd 

time this season. Undermined all season long

by a run of injuries, the Lakers likely will miss

the post-season for only the 5th time since the

franchise relocated from Minneapolis to LA in 1960/61.

No amount of hoping and wishing can really make

bones heal faster or players be allowed to come on 

to the courts until their trainers and medical

staff give them the okay to do so. Even Kobe Bryant

has been side lined once again far longer than at

first we all thought. Jordan Farmar has also as well

as Xavier Henry and now even our tall Pau Gasol.

The uplifting personality player, our own Nick Young,

is also nursing an injury but gratefully Steve Blake

seems to be doing quite well with his previous injured

elbow, an injury usually dominated in game of tennis.

Gasol and Henry may be able to return to play after

the upcoming All-Star Weekend. A team can make

a maximum of 10 appearances on ESPN and TNT per

season, opening the possibility for ESPN, TNT and

the NBA to decide later to add a game that was not

originally planned. Nash has played only ten games

this season, leaving it possible that the Lakers could

benefit financially from his absence. Our losing score

Tuesday evening against Utah was 96-79. The upcoming

game is also being played at the Staples Center against 

Oklahoma City on Thursday evening at 7:30 Pacific time. 

Wonder how it'll go?

BABS WELLS