<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Karl Malone's fears were confirmed Sunday when team orthopedist Dr. Stephen Lombardo evaluated the forward's knee before the Lakers' game against Boston and concluded he likely won't play in the team's next game Friday at Seattle, according to Lakers spokesman John Black. The team hoped Malone, who has been amazingly durable over his 19-year career, would return against Seattle after a three-game absence. But Malone expressed frustration at practice Saturday that he felt pain in the knee despite doing all of the prescribed rehabilitation. Malone originally was scheduled to be evaluated Monday. Lombardo will look at the knee again Wednesday or Thursday, and a chance remains Malone could play Friday if there is significant improvement. </div> Los Angeles Daily News
Malong Improves however he is still not Ready <font size="3">Malone Is Better but Not Ready</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Laker forward Karl Malone took a big step forward Tuesday on his sprained right knee. "He says he's pain free," said his coach, Phil Jackson. But the biggest step, the one that takes Malone back onto the court, apparently will be delayed beyond Friday's game against the SuperSonics in Seattle. "We're not anticipating that Friday is a game that he'll be back," Jackson said. "He still feels a little bit of instability, lack of movement. That's obviously something that can't be measured by a doctor."</div> Los Angeles Times
Malone headed for the IR <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Karl Malone is probably headed to the injured list for the first time in his outstanding 19-year career. Malone, the NBA's second-leading career scorer behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee Dec. 21 in the first quarter of a game against Phoenix and hasn't played since.</div> Link - ESPN Not good news for the Lakers at all.
Damn, this one hurts us badly. Time to go give Rodman a call. We won't be able to survive with Medevenko at the PF spot for a long period, even though we should be able to. Malone was giving the Lakers good production, he will be missed for his time off.
He has established himself as a key contributor on this talented team, and his presence will definitely be missed. I kinda like the idea of Rodman playing for us, he can provide us with excellent interior defense and rebounding while Karl's out. But if i'm not wrong, Karl and Rodman has some kinda beef or something... Well, not too sure about that but that's what i remembered.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Purple N Gold:</div><div class="quote_post">Damn, this one hurts us badly. Time to go give Rodman a call. We won't be able to survive with Medevenko at the PF spot for a long period, even though we should be able to. Malone was giving the Lakers good production, he will be missed for his time off.</div> Call Rodman? Oh yeah, he is gonna do a way better job than Slava. If people would stop to take a look at stats, they would see that Slava has been averaging almost double-digits in points since Malone has been out.. So yeah, let's give Dennis a call, he can save us!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting the MDE:</div><div class="quote_post">Call Rodman? Oh yeah, he is gonna do a way better job than Slava. If people would stop to take a look at stats, they would see that Slava has been averaging almost double-digits in points since Malone has been out.. So yeah, let's give Dennis a call, he can save us!</div> Good idea, also maybe less fouls, although considering it's Rodman, probably not, also maybe, just maybe since they're roughly the same age. More Boards.
I wouldn't like Rodman on the team, even though it might be for a limited amount of time, he's just a guy that brings so many distractions. I say it's time for Phil to give Luke Walton some minutes. I know he doesn't really play his rookies a lot, but Bill Walton is Luke's dad, and who knows what skills he can bring to a game if he's sitting there on the bench?
