Bynum and Gasol will sit out another game

Because the healing process has been slow, Lakers center Andrew Bynum and forward Pau Gasol will miss another game.

Neither was able to practice Saturday and neither will play tonight when the Lakers face the struggling New Orleans Hornets at Staples Center.

Bynum will miss his second consecutive game because of a strained right elbow.

Gasol will miss his seventh consecutive game because of a strained right hamstring.

“Hopefully, I can make it back by Thursday,” Bynum said. “It’s just a waiting game, really. I don’t know, man. Just doing some treatment, doing a little bit of things, but it’s basically got to heal up.”

Bynum said that pain in his triceps is the issue, and because of that, he’s unable to use his forearm to hold off an opponent by using the arm to push out.

“I can come in real fast, but just to go out [is a problem],” Bynum said. “But that’s my ‘hold’ position. I’ve got to box out. I’ve got to push people. I’ve got to do all that stuff.”

Bynum has been receiving a lot of treatment, including wearing a electrical stimulation device to help the process.

Gasol, meanwhile, has been out for nearly a month now.

He has tried to practice on several occasions but can’t seem to get over the hump in order to complete a session, let alone play in a game.

“Pau has been working out, I’d say, to his limits and [Friday] night felt some residual pain and was concerned about it today so he hasn’t been out on the floor with us today,” Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said.

After tonight’s game, the Lakers have three days off before they play the Phoenix Suns on Thursday at Staples Center.

The hope is that Bynum and Gasol can be back by then.

“We have a three-day break after the game on Sunday and I can’t see any reason why this should be that extended that it would go on past that time,” Jackson said.

--

Bryant offense-minded

It’s not because Bynum and Gasol are out.

It’s not because he doesn’t have other teammates who can score.

Kobe Bryant has been scoring more during the early stages of the season because, he said, that is his mind-set.

“I’m taking it. It’s a bit of both,” Bryant said about taking what the defense gives him. “I’m being really aggressive, trying to put teams in a situation where they have to make decisions.”

Bryant, who has scored 41 points in three of the team’s last four games, is leading the NBA in scoring with an average of 34.5 points per game.

--

Odom’s birthday

Lamar Odom was not expecting a surprise birthday party Friday night after the Lakers’ victory over Memphis.

Odom, who turned 30, said one of the coolest things about his rooftop party was to see “Happy Birthday Lamar” on a building across the street from his party.

--

[email protected]

twitter.com/BA_Turner

--

LAKERS TONIGHT

VS. NEW ORLEANS

When: 6:30.

Where: Staples Center.

On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 710, 1330.

Records: Lakers 5-1, Hornets 2-4.

Record vs. Hornets (2008-09): 3-1.

Update: Two seasons ago, the Lakers went to the wire before edging New Orleans for the best record in the West. The Lakers won an NBA championship last season and are favored to repeat. The Hornets, on the other hand, have struggled this season. They got smaller by trading 7-foot-1 center Tyson Chandler to Charlotte for 6-10 center Emeka Okafor. Okafor is tied for eighth in the NBA in rebounds (10.7) and is ninth in blocked shots (2.17). Chris Paul leads the attack, averaging 28.5 points and 9.8 assists. Hornets Coach Byron Scott is in the final year of his contract.

-- Broderick Turner

--

latimes.com/sports

Lakers’ 50th season in Los Angeles

Starting Monday and running through Friday at latimes.com/sports, our Lakers beat reporters Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner and NBA columnist Mark Heisler will weigh in on the Lakers’ best forwards, guards, center and head coach and the best Lakers team of the franchise’s half-century in Los Angeles. Check Monday for Bresnahan’s story on the best pair of Lakers forwards.