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Grizzlies-Lakers Preview

Nov 5, 2009 - 6:58 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Memphis (1-4) at Los Angeles (4-1), 10:30 p.m. EDT

Pau Gasol doesn't expect to make his season debut for the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. That's definitely good news for his former team as it tries to slow down Kobe Bryant.

It's unlikely Gasol will play against the Memphis Grizzlies, who have lost three straight as they get ready to visit Bryant and the Lakers.

Gasol has yet to see action due to a right hamstring injury, although it seems he is close to coming back. He averaged 16.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in last season's four-game sweep of Memphis (1-4), where he played his first six-plus seasons.

Coach Phil Jackson expects the 7-footer to practice this weekend and possibly play even though Gasol believes he is not ready yet.

"We'll have a limited practice as it is, with back-to-back games," Jackson said. "There won't be a whole lot of activity, but he should be out there."

Los Angeles (4-1) has been forced to rely even more on Bryant in Gasol's absence and the NBA's leading scorer has delivered. Bryant has sandwiched 41-point games around a 31-point effort, and has helped deliver back-to-back overtime wins on the road.

Bryant scored the Lakers' final four points, including the go-ahead jumper, in a 101-98 win at Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Los Angeles was forced to go past regulation again Wednesday as Bryant scored six points in overtime of a 103-102 win over Houston.

"Experience was the key," forward Lamar Odom said. "We toughed it out at the end. Kobe took over the game and really helped us spread the court."

The Lakers may have suffered a blow when center Andrew Bynum sprained his elbow late in Wednesday's game. His status is uncertain for Friday.

"The elbow (stinks)," Bynum said. "I can hardly lift it up. We'll take pictures and we will see what they say. They took a whack at me and that was that."

Pau Gasol's brother, Marc, has played well in his second season for Memphis, averaging 17.6 points on 60.4 percent shooting and 12.6 rebounds. But he and the rest of the Grizzlies have been overshadowed by Allen Iverson's complaints about his reserve role.

Iverson was not happy about seeing 18 minutes off the bench in his Memphis debut Monday in an overtime loss at Sacramento. He scored 18 points in 27 minutes Wednesday in a 113-105 loss at Golden State.

Memphis, 0-3 on a five-game road trip, is allowing a league-high 115.2 points per game.

"Not a lot of players like to play defense (but) winning teams play defense," Iverson said. "Some nights you're not going to be able to throw a rock in the ocean but if you still play defense you give yourself a chance to win."

Iverson is likely not seeing major minutes at shooting guard because Memphis is building around leading scorer O.J. Mayo, who is averaging 20.6 points after leading all rookies with an 18.5 average in 2008-09.

The Grizzlies lost their first 13 road games against the Lakers before winning five of the last nine.