Sixteen days and seven games into the 2009-10 regular season, All-Star forward Pau Gasol has yet to play and will not return for L.A.s Thursday-Friday back-to-back against Phoenix at home and Denver on the road.
Naturally, there were quite a few questions directed Gasols way following his Wednesday cardio session on one of the teams Precor machines that resembles a common elliptical device. As such, Gasol finished his workout, paused for 30 seconds to catch his breath, and then addressed a group of reporters curious about his troubled hamstring:
Q: On if hes getting closer and closer to playing.
Gasol: Thats what were hoping for. Obviously every day that goes by should be a step closer to me being back out there. Weve taken the right steps from the beginning until today (by) testing it out, going harder and getting closer to the intensity that Id have to play (at). The muscle didnt respond well to it, so it was just a way of it telling me that its still not healed and not ready to play. You just have to take a step back, go through the rehab again and take it a little slower.