I'm a bit squeezed for time this afternoon, but that doesn't mean you can't get the lowdown on this afternoon's happenings in El Segundo, though it'll come largely without the benefit of my pithy commentary, at least for the time being. Those of you who come here strictly for the pith -- there must be someone -- my apologies. Everyone else, it's your lucky day. For your convenience, here's a handy list of high points:
A light game Friday combined with two more days of rest over the weekend meant Pau Gasol was not only able to practice, but in the eyes of Phil Jackson seemed as spry as he's been in a while.
Andrew Bynum continued working his way back, again practicing in full Monday afternoon. He participated in full court, five-on-five activities, and reported no problems today, or in the wake of Saturday's workout. Bynum seems confident he'll return this month. When, he's not willing to say. One interesting factor is the team's schedule. The upcoming road trip means fewer practices for the team, and it's practice time Bynum needs to take those final steps back to the active roster. He acknowledged how this could slow things down a few days.
Apparently, I'm not the only guy doing math in this town. There was a great deal of commentary about the team's progress 20 games in. The general verdict: They're not doing poorly, but certainly could be playing better. As Gasol said, when asked to give a grade, "Not an A." And "A" is what they need down the road if they want a third title.
For an audio version of the practice report, I spoke with Andrew Siciliano and Mychal Thompson on 710 ESPN's LA Sports Live, about Gasol, Bynum, and another moment of self-denial for Ron Artest.
The quote of the day goes to Gasol, when asked if there's a tendency to take things for granted as the two-time champs. "Sometimes. I think this is one of the mistakes that humanity has, all around. We tend to do that. We don't appreciate what we have. We tend to complain too much. So sometimes we've got to snap out of it quickly before it's too late."
Good on Pau, taking things to another level. On to the vids...
Gasol, on his hammy, Bynum, and Tuesday's game against the Wizards:
Bynum, on his progress:
Jackson, on Bynum, Gasol, Tuesday's game against Washington, and the team's progress thus far:
Derek Fisher, on the team's play through 20 games, and more: