The Los Angeles Lakers’ injury woes continued Monday as an MRI revealed all-star forward Pau Gasol has a moderate strain of the flexor tendon of the big toe of his left foot. Gasol will be a game-time decision for Tuesday’s game against Cleveland. Gasol suffered the injury in Friday’s 123-87 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. The 13-year veteran is averaging 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and shooting a career-low 44.8 percent from the floor this season. With Gasol out of Monday’s practice, the Lakers were down to eight healthy players for the session. Lakers assistant coach, Mark Madsen, and video coordinator, J.J. Outlaw, filled in to give the team enough bodies to field a 5-on-5 game. “J.J., we can sign him up for a 10-day [contract],” joked Nick Young. “And Mark, Mark’s coming out of retirement.”
Xavier Henry, who underwent an individual on-court workout Sunday for the first time since suffering a bone bruise in his right knee on Dec. 29, did not practice Monday. “I don’t think he’ll get the all-clear yet,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said of Henry. “They’ll want to get him on the floor and have him go through some stuff. Hopefully sometime soon, but [playing against Cleveland] would surprise me.” The Lakers have lost 10 of their last 11 games and are currently 7.5 games behind the Dallas Mavericks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
