EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers big man Pau Gasol was released from a local hospital Monday morning after being diagnosed with vertigo, the Lakers announced. Gasol underwent an MRI on his head that came back “normal,” according to the team.
Gasol left Sunday’s 103-94 win over the Orlando Magic at halftime after experiencing dizziness and nausea. He was administered three liters of fluids via an IV and taken from Staples Center to the hospital in an ambulance for precautionary evaluation overnight.
The 13-year veteran is considered doubtful for the Lakers’ game against the New York Knicks on Tuesday. Gasol will be re-evaluated by ear, nose and throat specialist Dr. John Rehm on Tuesday morning to determine his status moving forward.
Gasol thanked fans for their support on Twitter on Monday:
While I continue to recover at the hospital, your messages of support and well wishes are giving strength. Thanks so much to all of you.
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) March 24, 2014
Gasol spent several hours at the hospital resting after being released Monday morning before feeling good enough to go home Monday afternoon, according to the team.
Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said center Chris Kaman, who has not played in the Lakers' last 10 games, will start against New York if Gasol cannot play.
Lakers guard Steve Nash is also considered doubtful for the Knicks game as he nurses a sore right hamstring. Nash went through an individual workout on Monday but did not participate in practice with the the team.
"Steve Nash is day-to-day, actually hour-to-hour," D'Antoni said with a laugh. "We'll check and see (Tuesday), but probably doubtful at this time just to be cautious."
L.A. should get Xavier Henry back against the Knicks to help out at backup point guard in Nash's place, however.
Henry saw Dr. Stephen Shin on Monday morning, who confirmed a tear of the scapholunate ligament in his left wrist. The injury will require postseason surgery, but the 23-year-old Henry plans to play through the pain in the meantime.
"I thought he was probable," D'Antoni said. "He said no, he's not probable. He's playing."
Henry had previously missed 28 games because of a bone bruise in his right knee from late December through early March. He returned to the lineup for just nine games before suffering the injury to the wrist on his shooting hand when he fell to the floor in the second half of the Lakers' 117-107 loss to the Washington Wizards last week.
"The good news is, it's tore, so I feel with that mindset, I can't do too much worse to it," said Henry. "Now I'll just go out there and be myself ... Hey, I got to get surgery anyway so I might as well go out there and just play hard."
Last season, Antawn Jamison suffered a similar injury to his wrist in late March -- just like Henry -- but pushed off surgery until the offseason and played in the Lakers' final 12 games of the regular season, plus four more in the playoffs.
"They said he recovered well and it wasn't too bad of a surgery, so it's all right," Henry said.