National Basketball Association

Lakers forward Gasol out with knee tendinitis

Published Dec. 5, 2012 1:41 a.m. ET

foxsports

Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol missed Tuesday night's game against Houston because of tendinitis in both knees.

Gasol has dealt with the condition since training camp and said it hasn't ''really improved'' since then, prompting the Lakers to rule him out.

''We just kept it under control and I was hoping that we would see some kind of improvement, and some kind of pain relief,'' he said. ''But it hasn't happened. So we had to make a decision.''

Gasol, who is averaging 12.6 points and 8.8 rebounds this season, is listed as day-to-day.

He said he was hoping that he wouldn't have to miss any time.

''It's something that I didn't want to think. I didn't want that thought to cross my mind,'' he said. ''But it got to the point that I had to face the reality of the situation. I talked to the training staff and talked to the doctors and made a decision for the best, I think.''

The Lakers began a three-game trip Tuesday and play New Orleans on Wednesday and Oklahoma City on Friday.

Gasol said he doesn't know if he'll play in the next two games.

He said the pain has really limited what he has been able to do this season and that he experiences it when running, jumping and especially when he needs to get low.

''It's a game that if you don't get low, you don't have a good base ... you don't have the force and explosiveness that you need to,'' he said. ''That's been some of the things that have been noticeable.''

Veteran Antawn Jamison started in his place against the Rockets.