Brooklyn Nets’ Brook Lopez, right, shoots over Los Angeles Lakers’ Pau Gasol during the first half of the NBA basketball game at the Barclays Center Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2013 in New York. AP Photo/Seth Wenig
LOS ANGELES—Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol will not play against the Boston Celtics on Thursday after injuring his right foot in a game at Brooklyn on Tuesday, the NBA club announced.
An MRI showed on Wednesday that Gasol suffered a tear of the plantar fascia — the tissue under the arch of the foot — in a 92-83 Lakers win in New York.
Gasol wrote about the injury on his Twitter site saying, “I am hoping to recover asap so I can be back with the team and keep fighting until the end of the season. #GoLakers #AlwaysPositive”
The Lakers’ next game is Thursday against Boston but instead of facing the Celtics, Gasol was to fly to Los Angeles where he will be examined further by team doctors and a foot specialist.
Gasol hurt his right foot with 4:21 to play against the Nets. He was defending Brook Lopez when he came down on the Nets’ player’s foot.
Gasol fell to the court holding his foot, but stayed in the game for a short time before leaving for the locker room.
Gasol said he heard a “pop” in his foot and had to leave the stadium on crutches.
Gasol could be out for up to eight weeks if he chooses to treat the injury with rehab as opposed to surgery, CBSSports.com reported. If Gasol opts for surgery he could be out 10-12 weeks.
Lakers spokesman John Black said the team didn’t know how long Gasol would be out of the lineup.
In 36 games this season, Gasol is averaging 13.4 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
The injury is another blow to the Lakers who were already without center Dwight Howard, who missed the Nets game as he continues to recover from a torn labrum in his right shoulder.