In a season that has been riddled with bad breaks and misfortune, even more bad news struck the Los Angeles Lakers this week.
All-Stars Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol will be out for an indeterminable amount of time after the pair suffered injuries this past weekend in dual losses to Western Conference rivals the Clippers and Denver.
Howard tore the labrum in his right shoulder in the second half of Friday's 107-102 loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles when the Lakers' superstar center got his arms tangled with Clippers small forward Caron Butler.
While he played in Sunday's game against a 112-105 loss to Denver, he re-aggravated the injury and was examined Monday by team doctor Steve Lombardo, according to a statement on the Lakers' official website.
Howard will be re-examined next week, but is expected to travel with the Lakers when they swing by Texas Tuesday and Wednesday for the team's games with Houston and San Antonio.
Asked about the possibility that he will return in a week, Howard told ESPN, "It depends on how fast it will heal up."
One thing he was adamant about, however, was that surgery was not necessary to heal this injury.
"No surgery," Howard said. "No surgery. It's something that takes a little time to heal. ... I don't need surgery. At all."
Howard had surgery on his lower back in the offseason, which took him several months to heal.
But that wasn't the only loss the Lakers suffered on Sunday.
Gasol, who came back from a layoff due to knee issues last month, was hit in the face by Denver's JaVale McGee during the fourth quarter of the Denver game. After tests with team neurologists, Gasol was diagnosed with a concussion.
The four-time NBA All-Star will not make the road trip and is said to be out indefinitely.
**Updated at 5:37 p.m. Tuesday**
On his Facebook page Tuesday, Gasol gave the following update to his fans: ""I'm looking forward to recovering soon from this concussion. I'm doing everything possible to rest to make it so. I have to be patient with this injury that does not give me any grace. MUCHAS gracias amig@s for always being there," Gasol wrote.
Key reserve Jordan Hill also hurt his right hip against the Nuggets and will not be on the active roster Tuesday when the Lakers play the Rockets.
The injuries have come on as another blow to the Lakers, currently on a three-game losing skid and with a 15-18 record for third place in the Pacific Division. The team has also struggled to build a winning chemistry all season, despite ranking fifth in the league in scoring with 102.9 points per game.
The team's leader, Kobe Bryant, doesn't appear to be phased, however.
""Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will" Gandhi On to the next one. Keep focus," he posted on Twitter following the Sunday loss to Denver.
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