Lakers Practice Report: 01/04/10

The news out of Monday afternoon’s practice centered almost exclusively upon injuries, with several players making the report. Here’s a quick rundown:

Pau Gasol (strained hamstring): The Spaniard was not present at practice, and had not yet returned from the doctor that was scheduled to look at his hamstring when media availability closed. Phil Jackson said that he’d let Gasol explain how he tweaked the left hamstring in the first place, mentioning that the team was aware of the injury before the game and decided to see how it affected Gasol on the court. Jackson declined to speculate as to the status of his starting power forward; we’ll have to wait to hear from Gasol either later today or tomorrow.

UPDATE: After being evaluated by team doctors, Pau Gasol has been diagnosed with a mild-to-moderate strain of the left hamstring. FULL DETAILS HERE

Ron Artest (concussion): The news was much more positive for Ron Artest, who not only went through a full practice (including contact drills) but remained for more than an hour afterwards taking jump shots. Artest said that he felt much better, is no longer feeling dizzy or getting headaches, and wants to play on Tuesday against Houston. Phil Jackson confirmed that the team would like him to play.

Lamar Odom (gastrointestinal discomfort): Odom was not at practice but at the doctor’s office addressing an upset stomach. His teammates expect him to play against Houston, though we’ll have to see how he feels in the morning.

Luke Walton (back): While Walton is not yet ready to play in games, according to Phil Jackson, he is set to return to full practice for the first time on Thursday. Walton said that he’s felt a bit better every day while focusing on his core muscles, and is extremely eager to return to the team. There is of course a focus on not rushing him back too quickly, however, to ensure that he will stay on the court.

Now, if you don’t want to wait until after practice to hear what went on, you can always follow our @LakersReporter account on Twitter. Here’s a list of posts from today:

1. Luke Walton is playing 3-on-3 at the close of practice. (12:50 pm)
2. Ron Artest went through the full practice with contact. (12:51)
3. The results to Gasol's tests have not yet come back, and Odom missed practice with a gastrointestinal issue. (12:51)
4. Artest playing a 1-on-1 drill w/Mbenga, Morrison & Brown after practice (video) http://twitvid.com/7FDF7 (1:10)
5. Not surprised that Artest is getting stop after stop in the 1-on-1 drill; Congo Cash, meanwhile, is content to jack 17-footers. (1:12)
6. Artest said that he felt good in & after practice & is ready to play tomorrow IF Phil Jackson & his staff clear it. (1:15)
7. Artest is no longer feeling dizzy or getting headaches, & responded well to contact drills. (1:15)
8. Team spokesman said Luke Walton has not been cleared for full practice. He only resumed some basketball activities today. (1:33)
9. An hour after practice ended, Artest continued to take jumpers. He said earlier that his shooting rhythm was not a concern. (1:40)
10. Phil Jackson did notice that Artest looked a bit rusty on offense, but that his defense shouldn't slip. (1:42)
11. Walton & the team are shooting for Thursday for him to resume full practice. Jackson said he's not yet ready for game action. (1:49)
12. Phil Jackson deferred to Gasol, who wasn't at practice, to describe his injury. He did say that it happened before the game. (1:54)