The Los Angeles Lakers are in trouble.  They can't string together enough wins to claw their way out of the hole they've dug.  They can't stay healthy.  They can't find their identity.  It's a mess.  Oh, and they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight.  They'll do so with continued injury concerns.

Paul Gasol will continue to sit as he recovers from a concussion suffered last weekend.  In addition, Metta World Peace suffered a contusion to his groin area in practice, but he will play tonight.  Obviously, Dwight Howard will not play with his torn labrum.  It's going to be tough for Los Angeles tonight.


Mike Trudell of Lakers.com has the details:

Metta World Peace suffered a contusion to his groin the other night, but will start vs OKC. May guard Durant less than usual, though.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 11, 2013

W/Howard & Gasol out again tonight, LAL will have lost 40 games to starters this season. OKC have lost 0 starter’s games to injury.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 11, 2013

The Lakers enter play tonight with a record of 15-20.  They are five games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.  As Trudell pointed out, the Lakers have a ton of games due to injury.  That's part of their problem.  But they have to improve their play along with getting healthy if they are going to get back into the race.
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