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Shorthanded Lakers visit Nash, Suns

Mar 4, 2007 - 5:55 PM LA Lakers (33-26) at Phoenix (45-14) 3:30 pm EST

PHOENIX (Ticker) - Just when Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers thought they were getting healthier, they were sidetracked by another injury.

On the same night the Lakers welcomed back power forward Kwame Brown, they saw small forward Lamar Odom - their second leading-scorer - sidelined indefinitely with torn cartilage in his left shoulder.

Already without forwards Vladimir Radmanovic (shoulder) and Luke Walton (ankle), the shorthanded Lakers look for their fourth win in five games Sunday when they visit the Phoenix Suns.

An MRI revealed a torn labrum in Odom's shoulder, the same injury he suffered during the 2004-05 season that forced him to miss the final 17 contests and endure a four-month recovery following surgery. The versatile 6-10 forward missed 22 games earlier this season with a sprained knee.

Brown had missed the last two months with a badly sprained ankle but returned Friday. He did not take a shot in 20 minutes of a 114-106 home loss to Sacramento in which Bryant had 30 points and 10 assists and Odom added 26 and 13 rebounds.

This is Los Angeles' first visit to the Valley of the Sun since last May, when their season ended with a disheartening Game Seven loss in the first round of the playoffs. The Lakers blew a 3-1 series lead.

The Suns also have injury issues but are much better equipped to deal with them. All-Star forward Shawn Marion has missed two games with injuries to his hand and quadriceps, with Phoenix splitting those games.

Phoenix picked its sixth win in seven tries with Friday's 115-90 home rout of Indiana. Steve Nash and fellow All-Star Amare Stoudemire scored 23 points apiece.