LAKERS NOTEBOOK: LAYOFF APPRECIATED BY MEDVEDENKO.Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer EL SEGUNDO El Segundo (ĕl sēgŭn`dō), industrial city (1990 pop. 15,223), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1917. Its products include navigation and computer systems, aircraft parts, office machines, telephone apparatus, and - Usually, Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team. isn't fond of a three-day layoff between playoff games. Now, though, Jackson could argue the benefits of such a break for the Lakers. If Game 3 were today, Slava Medvedenko Stanislav (Slava) Medvedenko (Ukrainian: Станіслав (Слава) Медведенко couldn't play. He might not be able to play Friday either when the Lakers try to take a 3-0 lead in the series at Houston because his status remains questionable. The Lakers received good news of sorts in that an X-ray revealed no tear in Medvedenko's strained right Achilles' tendon Achilles' tendon (tendo calcaneus) (tĕn`dō kălkā`nēəs), sinew prominent at the back of the ankle, connecting the tendons of the calf muscles to the heelbone. . The bad news is that there's a sign of bursitis bursitis (bərsī`təs), acute or chronic inflammation of a bursa, or fluid sac, located close to a joint. In response to irritation or injury the bursa may become inflamed, causing pain, restricting motion, and producing more fluid than can - an inflammation of the bursa Bursa, city, Turkey Bursa (b  rsä`), city (1990 pop. 838,323), capital of Bursa prov., NW Turkey. . The most common treatment for bursitis is ice and rest. Medvedenko is doing the former but doesn't have much time for the latter. Medvedenko didn't practice Wednesday, receiving treatment instead. He said he'll try to run today. Asked if he feared he could rupture the tendon, Medvedenko said: ``Yeah, something like that.'' Asked how much pain he was in, Medvedenko - who plays power forward and center - said nothing. About the only thing that got him talking much was the favorable layoff. ``Yeah, it's good because there's a little time to recover,'' he said. --Killer instinct? The Lakers haven't lost a series they've led 2-0 since the 1969 finals. But do they have what it takes to move to 3-0 at the Toyota Center Toyota Center is the name of several arenas in the United States:
``The philosophy you have to have every game is that there's the potential it could be the knockout game,'' Jackson said. ``It's the game that could potentially tilt things in your favor. Every win is so important and every loss so critical.'' Veteran Karl Malone ``When you're down 2-0, you lay it all on the line,'' he said. ``You realize how important Game 3 is. They'll throw everything they have at us. If (the series is tied) 1-1, I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. that the sense of urgency will be there.'' --Setting it straight: The Jackson-Jeff Van Gundy feud hasn't gone away, certainly not with the three-day break. Jackson was quoted as saying officials' call of Game 1 was to Houston's advantage. Van Gundy criticized Jackson's view. Wednesday, Jackson was happy to explain his comments on officiating after a physical Game 1. ``I want to go on record that I never said anything about the officiating,'' Jackson said. ``All I said about the officiating was that it changes from game to game and players have to adjust to it. I think it's difficult to watch, as fans. Games where the shooter is protected are a little bit easier. That's a more pleasing sight for people to see baskets made.'' --News and notes: Malone (ankle) ran full court Wednesday and Derek Fisher (groin), Devean George (calf) and Gary Payton were limited in practice. Rick Fox (thumb) had one of his best shooting days, according to Jackson. ... The team will practice today before leaving for Houston. ... Kobe Bryant again left without talking to reporters. --Different delivery: The Mailman threw out the first pitch at the Angels' game Tuesday, a day off for the Lakers. ``My off day is my day to do things I want to do and my little boy wanted to go,'' Malone said. ``We had a great time. The Angels were really nice. It was a nice day off to get away from basketball.'' Jill Painter, (818)713-3615 jill.painter(at)dailynews.com |
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