Are the Lakers done with chickenpox?
A Lakers official knocked on a nearby table. Hard. It wasn’t even wood, but the point was understood.
The Lakers have plenty on their minds right now, but they’re hoping for the best medically for another handful of days.Steve Blake was diagnosed with the illness April 12, and the typical incubation period is two weeks.
Three Lakers have never had chickenpox —Kobe Bryant,Ron Artest andAndrew Bynum — but they’ve all had the vaccine in the past, reducing the chances of getting it.
Blake returned to the court Wednesday against New Orleans after missing three games because of an illness mainly reserved for children. He didn’t score, but had five assists and three rebounds in Game 2 against the Hornets.
He’s had to douse his body with pink anti-itch medicine — “I never want to see that again” — and took prescription medication that cut his recovery time in half, he said.
He is no longer contagious, in case the surprisingly large pack of reporters in front of his locker didn’t give it away Wednesday. He is still adjusting to a return to normalcy.
“I miss just being outside,” he said. “I couldn’t wait to just drive my car.”
He wasn’t even sure how much time he would log Wednesday but finished with 17 minutes, close to his season average of 20.
He still had remnants of the illness, small red marks on his face and arms, and probably picked up some new nicknames from teammates, no?
“None that I would share with you,” he said, smiling.
Now we know
Lakers CoachPhil Jackson knew why the Lakers honoredLamar Odom with a brief pregame ceremony Wednesday.
“Because this could be the last game he plays in front of the home crowd,” he said jokingly before Game 2.
Odom was the first Lakers player to ever win the NBA’s sixth man of the year award.
twitter.com/Mike_Bresnahan
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
By continuing, you agree to ourTerms of Service and ourPrivacy Policy.
Mike Bresnahan previously covered the Lakers for the Los Angeles Times. He started the beat in 2004, a month after Shaquille O’Neal was traded, and covered several seasons of mediocrity before the Lakers won back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. Now they’re back to mediocrity. Bresnahan is from Los Angeles, started with The Times after graduating the University of Wisconsin in 1994, and has also covered the L.A. Kings, pro beach volleyball and numerous colleges and high schools. He left The Times in 2016.
