<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">With the availability of their second-leading scorer looking dimmer by the day, the Lakers will send forward Lamar Odom back to the doctor to determine what exactly is wrong with his strained left shoulder. Odom underwent an MRI on Sunday, the results of which were inconclusive, and he sat out the Lakers game against Seattle. He will see a specialist today and will not travel with the team to Salt Lake City for Tuesday's game against the Utah Jazz. While Odom said he hoped to be back Thursday against Denver - "That's the game," he said, keeping in mind the Western Conference playoff picture - interim coach Frank Hamblen said the decision could be made today to put Odom on the injured list. If Odom were to go on the injured list, Sunday's game would count among the five he would have to sit out, according to NBA rules. He would be eligible to return for the Lakers' game against Minnesota on March 31. The Lakers additionally have been searching for a way to activate forward Devean George from the injured list, and Odom's strained shoulder could provide that opportunity. As Odom admitted after he injured his shoulder in the first half Friday against Indiana, the timing could not be worse. The Lakers have 16 games left in the season and entered Sunday 2 1/2 games behind the Nuggets in the standings. "The beat goes on," Caron Butler said. "You've got to continue to play hard. These are the type of things that happen throughout the season, key guys go down." Odom said he was still sore Sunday but had a greater range of motion than the day before. The injury is to his shooting shoulder, however, which makes it all the more troublesome. The Lakers would not speculate on whether Odom has a torn muscle or needs surgery. "It's a tough injury for us - one of our real key players," Hamblen said. "But you just have to go play. Whenever there's an injury, it gives other guys an opportunity."</div> Source Finally it's Devean George time!
I didn't even see the injury. Finally, Devean George. I want to see what he can do, he knows the triangle, lets go Devean.
That's gonna really hurt the Lakers. They're going to need Butler and co. to step it up if Odom has to go the IL.
