Lakers have had just one game all season with a full roster
How much of the Lakers’ troubles this season should be attributed to injuries?
The Lakers have had just one game all season with their full roster, an opening-night loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
Starting point guard Steve Nash was injured in the team’s second game. Backup point guard Steve Blake would go down next with an abdominal tear in early November. Eventually reserve big man Jordan Hill was lost for the season because of a hip injury.
Center Dwight Howard has been in and out of the lineup with shoulder issues. Power forward Pau Gasol sat with knee issues and is now down with a foot injury.
Recently Blake returned from his abdominal injury. Since then, the Lakers have won 13 of their last 19 games (68.4%).
The Lakers were able to win only 19 of their first 44 games (43.2%). Before Blake’s return, the Lakers had won 25% of their away games. They’ve since won six of 11 (54.6%).
The closest the Lakers came to having their entire squad healthy was Jan. 29 in a home win over the New Orleans Hornets in Blake’s return (only Hill was absent).
Outside of the season opener, that was the only game the Lakers had Howard, Gasol, Nash and Blake for 48 minutes.
In full games with Howard, Gasol and Nash (but no Blake), the Lakers have won seven of 14.
Gasol is starting to work his way back from the foot injury. The team may get a dozen games together before the postseason -- if they can avoid other setbacks along the way.
Should the Lakers break into the playoffs with everyone but Hill healthy, they may show that injuries were by and large the biggest obstacle this season.
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Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.
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