Dwight Howard out indefinitely with shoulder injury

Dwight Howard has suffered a torn labrum -- a shoulder injury -- and will be sidelined indefinitely, the Lakers announced Monday.

Howard hurt his shoulder against the Clippers on Friday night and aggravated it on Sunday against the Denver Nuggets. Howard will travel with the team and will be reevaluated in a week.

“I don’t need surgery,� Howard said. “It should keep me out for a while but [I need] to make sure that I’m cautious, to make sure that I get healthy, that’s the most important thing,� Howard said.

“When it rains it pours,� said Kobe Bryant on the flurry of injury reports. “At some point you hit rock bottom and then the only place you can go is up. We’ve got guys who have been practicing hard and have been preparing for their moment. Now they have a moment to step in and contribute.�

Additionally, Pau Gasol suffered a concussion against the Nuggets when he took an inadvertent JaVale McGee arm to nose late in the game. He’ll be put through the league’s concussion policy, unavailable to the team until he is cleared.

Finally, Jordan Hill has a hip issue and will be examined on Monday by team doctor Steve Lombardo.

The Lakers have lost three straight going into a week that begins with road games Tuesday and Wednesday against the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.

They’ll return home to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, although it’s not quite clear who will be on the floor in the front court. Rookie Robert Sacre will likely be recalled from the D-Fenders and thrust into the starting lineup.

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Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.