No real "theme" emerged during today's practice. Which makes sense, as there isn't really much worth a hardcore examination. The Lakers are fresh off back-to-back blow out W's. Pau Gasol is looking very good upon his return from injury. Kobe Bryant is making the kind of shots that typically don't stroke cord without CGI assistance.  It is, as the kids often say, "all good" these days.

But that won't stop me from presenting some talkies from the afternoon's session in El Segundo. Why? Because we care over at Lakers Blog. And you people would hunt us down if we didn't provide the scoop. So there's that, too.

After last night's win over OKC and point guard Russell Westbrook getting held to 2-8 shooting, Scotty Brooks lavished some serious praise on Derek Fisher:

"Derek Fisher never gets enough credit. The guy is a star. He battles and competes. I admire his play every year since he's been in this league. If you want your son to be a point guard, they should look at his tape and be committed to what he does. He plays for the team, and that's what you expect from a point guard at that level. He's an amazing player."

To say the least, flattering words, reflective of a dude who's made a difference as a grinder, not a stat machine. As Fish later noted, the way he plays as a pro is the way he's played his entire life.

(Self Promotional Notes: Don't forget to download this week's 710 ESPN.com Lakers PodKast, and to follow us on the Twitter at latimesKbros. Finally, AK and I are the, ahem, "personalities" representing 710 ESPN at this poker tourney at Hollywood Park Casino. Apparently, there's a bounty on our heads. Not for capturing us Boba Fett style for delivery to Jabba the Hutt, but rather knocking us out of the event. Come down/up/over and play if you can. That is all... for now. Moving on...)

Sorry for what will be a brief report from Friday afternoon's practice in El Segundo, but it's nearly Mom K's birthday, and that gift won't buy itself. I need to do a little shopping this afternoon. But I digress... There are two bits of genuine news to report. First, Andrew Bynum didn't practice, but instead received treatment on the ankle he turned in Thursday's win over Chicago. It included lasers, and while they were mounted on the heads of neither sharks nor sea bass, they ought to help reduce swelling in the area. He expects to play Sunday against Oklahoma City.

Pau Gasol, who made his season debut last night, did practice, working through the natural soreness that comes with the first game after a long layoff. He was quick to note, as you'll see in the videos below, that none of said aches were located in the bum right hamstring that kept him out of the season's first 11 games. 

Click below for today's moving pictures...

Or A.B.A.U., for the acronymically* inclined...

No surprise, after turning his right ankle in the third quarter of Thursday's 108-93 win over the Bulls, Andrew Bynum didn't practice Friday afternoon in El Segundo, instead receiving treatment ranging from medicine to ice to something he called a "laser level," which I always thought was used to hang picture frames properly. (Note: If my Google skills are worth their salt, I'm pretty sure he meant a low-level laser, which is used to help reduce swelling.)

"It was sorer than last night, he said. "I left last (the arena) last night without doing (any heavy treatment) because I was, you know, trying to walk it off, but it stiffened up this morning." Still, just as he did Thursday, Bynum said he doesn't expect to miss any games. "The ankle is alright. It's not too serious. I should be back by Sunday,"

Generally speaking, the best way to judge the severity of a Bynum injury is to measure the reactions of those around him, since Drew is notoriously bad at self-diagnosis. In that regard, nobody seemed too concerned. More to come from Friday's run.

BK

*new word

Turnabout being the essence of fair play, of course.

Tuesday, I asked a sincerely innocuous question regarding Pau Gasol being potentially "gun shy" about risking re-injury to his troublesome hamstring with a return to the court. Phil Jackson, rarely reluctant to tweak a player, asked if I meant that Gasol was a "hypochondriac" and a "baby."  Taking it up a notch, he proceeded to tweak his All-Star forward's performance on CSI: Miami.  After kidding that Gasol actually injured himself in a scene where he pulled an accident victim from of a burning car and expressing disbelief that people even watch this show in the first place, his advice given to Pau was shared:

"I told him to keep his night job."

Naturally, El Spaniard was informed of el smack during Wednesday's practice. He took it all in stride, focusing on the good feedback he received from "most of the population" and the enjoyment gained from the experience. "If Phil doesn't like it, it's all good," shrugged Gasol.  Another writer mentioned that Phil's not really one to talk, since his most recent gig in front of the camera involved no talking whatsoever. That's when Pau offered a jab of his own --"well, his acting wasn't too good, either"-- followed by an impression of his coach's handiwork.

Not bad.

Not bad at all.

And as Pau noted, "He got paid, for sure."

AK

Came up with that headline all by myself.  No assistance whatsoever. That's why I get the big bucks as a professional writer, and you people wait with bated breath to see what masterpiece I craft next. Or you drop by purely because I happen to have access to the Lakers, you don't and it's worth tolerating my ham-fisted hackdom to get a little inside dirt. But it's definitely one or the other.

As the title implies, the top topic this afternoon in El Segundo was in fact Pau Gasol, who's been increasingly optimistic over the last few days that tomorrow against the Bulls could mark his seasonal debut. Well, the SS Good Vibes hasn't sprung a leak or crashed into an iceberg yet. Pau participated fully in practice, felt great, and remains hopeful that his tentative plans won't go interrupted.

Mind you, this isn't a promise, and Pau wouldn't even touch anything in the neighborhood of confirmation, fearing a jinx.  He did, however, promise that should he suit up, wind will be sucked, reminding us a few times that his conditioning isn't up to snuff. When asked if "okay" could be a fair adjective to describe his "game shape" status, Gasol labeled that description "generous."

It was Wednesday's big news from El Segundo, more so than the presence on the practice court of Matt Lauer. No disrespect intended, but the big Spaniard's balky right hammy it a lot higher on the pecking order for Lakers fans than anything coming up on the Today Show.

First, the video:

So there you have it- Pau Gasol, rocking the elliptical machine when the media was let in- will be on the treadmill Thursday, and if he recovers well, Friday. From there, it's a question of getting back on the practice court, playing at full speed and recovering well. For multiple practices, I would think. Looking at the schedule, that takes him into next week at the earliest.

After the big, TV camera-laden throng dispersed, Gasol answered a few questions for us print/web types, addressing first the comment from the video that he had "skipped a few steps" in the initial stages of his rehab. The full transcript is below. 

Sunday afternoon, Ron Artest became the latest celeb to get himself a creation at Millions of Milkshakes in West Hollywood. "It's blueberry, peach, pineapple, and protein. Soy milk, with a non-dairy ice cream. It's pretty healthy, and if somebody wants to drink it, it should be pretty light on the stomach and give you some energy," he said Monday at practice. "I wanted to get something that kind of symbolizes what I'm about. How I like to work out, and something a little more on the healthier side."

Technically, it's more a smoothie than milkshake, but still it sounds delicious. I mention this first because now when I go taste the Artest shake I can quite legitimately call it a business expense, and also because it allows me to embed the following in a way that while a little self-indulgent (sue me) is also reasonably appropriate:

This morning, I posted comments from Lakers assistant Brian Shaw about how, like a great defensive back in football can cut off half the field, the presence of individual defenders on the basketball court can discourage opponents from running certain sets or swinging the ball in a particular direction. Artest says he's familiar with this sort of thing, having for a long time made lockdown, game plan-altering defense his proverbial milkshake. "I was probably one of the best defenders probably for the last decade or so," he said, "I definitely have to be one of those types. (I experienced that) almost every night. Almost every night I played, with coaches and players. Sometimes players won't even pass guys the ball." 

You know medical issues are on the front burner when even the coach is wearing a brace, as Phil Jackson was on his right knee Wednesday afternoon in El Segundo. Turns out it's to help relieve a little pressure on the leg, not some zen-like bonding exercise with Andrew Bynum. "Mine's not quite the same level his is," Jackson said with a smile. Besides, to keep up with Drew's latest malady, PJ might need support a little higher up on the body. During Tuesday's preseason win over the Warriors in Ontario, Bynum took some contact on his right shoulder, painful enough to keep him out of practice today. Fortunately, it doesn't seem serious. Right now, the expectation is he'll suit up Thursday in Anaheim.

"My training staff doesn't anticipate anything that would prevent him from playing, but we'll see what it looks like tomorrow," Jackson said. 

As for the rest of the walking wounded, Lamar Odom was fine after his return to the court last night, and both Pau Gasol and Luke Walton practiced. Jackson says assuming they don't develop any complications from today's run they'll be available tomorrow. Good thing, too, since the absence of so many frontline players has screwed with LA's preseason defense. "Without Pau in there and Luke and Lamar, it's been harder for other guys to really understand the rotations. Last night I thought we started out pretty good, but then we got a little bit sloppy and carried away with the joy of being up ten or twelve points, and that contributed to some easy baskets by Golden State," Jackson said.

Such was the visual created by Ron Artest after being asked if, as the only ring-less member of the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, he felt more like "the chased" or "the chaser."  After a brief delve into "chicken and egg" philosophy ("If you're chasing somebody who's chasing something, then I don't know what you're gonna chase."), Artest then equated the scenario to a visual guaranteed to make me laugh.

"It's like two dogs with a tail, right?  They got the tail.  As much as they're chasing my tail, I'm chasing their tail.  It's kinda crazy.  I'm not chasing my tail.  There's a tail in front of me.  I'm chasing their tail. "

I get what Ron's saying, but if I may take the liberty of tweaking his analogy a bit... he may feel like a dog while pursuing his first championship, but he wouldn't be really be chasing the tail of another "dog" (i.e., the league's other 29 teams), because they're also currently without hardware, too. In reality, Ron's a dog chasing a trophy. A trophy with a tail (and theoretically legs, since it's leading Ron Ron on a circular chase)?  Sure.  Perhaps even the offspring of a dog and trophy who love each other and don't care who judges them, a back story I imagine is similar to the lovable cartoon character Catdog.  I'm no expert in genetics (or animation), so I can't really say for certain.  But in any event, it's a trophy with a tail pinned on it like a donkey, and Artest won't rest until the quest is completed.

From there, Artest's new physicality took an even more interesting turn, as he explained what lies ahead for the opposition attempting to stand in the way of Canine Ron uniting with a caudaled O'Brien.  "As much as people are coming after us, they've got somebody that's going to be coming very hard.  Even if the Lakers are complacent or whatever, which I doubt it.  I know it's not true.  But even if they were, I'm not.  So, they're gonna continue to run into brick walls and everything.  They're gonna continue into brick walls.  So they might as well give up.  Don't even play (the season).  Just give up."

Granted, Ron said that while smiling and us media types were riffing along, so I would treat the "just give up" sentiment as more "tongue in cheek" than "bulletin board." But it did add another layer to the X-Man-ish mutant Artest was transforming into before our very eyes. Not just man and dog, folks, but man, dog and brick. I'm picturing a creature similar to "The Thing," but with a little bit of Rottweiler in the mix.  And probably a number shaved into the back of his head at some point.  And fingers able to handle a very active Twitter account. 

By the way, if you're thinking that I'm thinking "photoshop contest with tailed trophies and dog/brick Artest," then you and I are simpatico, friend-o. If you got the time, we've got the email. kambrothers@yahoo.com. As I think has been well established, we live for this sort of wacky nonsense.

Unless, of course, you happened to be a Lakers season ticket holder, since an estimated 200-250 Staples faithful were able to kick it in a specially added set of bleachers and enjoy today's practice. Quite the treat, enthusiastically received by those folks shelling out bookoo bucks.  While Phil Jackson specifically Shannon Brown, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Adam Morrison as the standout performers- roster hopeful Thomas Kelati also enjoyed a few nice moments during the late section the media was allowed to watch- the ex-Bobcats teamed up to deliver the consensus Big Kahuna highlight.  Ammo emerged from a scrum with a steal, then hit a streaking Brown with a home run toss. SB put the ball on the floor for a dribble or two, then threw down a semi-windmill dunk off an explosively quick hop. Predictably, a plethora of "ooh's" and "ahh's" commenced.

Mr. YouTube has quite the knack for crowd pleasing, which ironically reflects PJ's displeasure for these open practices. Not that he disapproved of Shannon's jam, but these league-requested peeks behind the curtain, because of the entertainment value sought, tend to result in practices centering less around drills and fundamentals and more around putting on a show. That understandable desire to give STH's their "money's worth," so to speak, changes the roster's collective energy in a way that doesn't float Jackson's boat. I asked PJ if he saw any positive aspects whatsoever to the shift in vibe.

"Absolutely not."

Seriously, Phil, we're never going to communicate if you keep beating around the bush.