Lakers Center Andrew Bynum

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard will have a season-ending back surgery Friday in Los Angeles to repair a herniated disk in his lower back that has sidelined him for two weeks. The surgery will likely keep him out for four months, preventing him from participating in the playoffs and playing with the U.S. National team at the London Olympics. "It hurts [emotionally]," Howard told ESPN the Magazine's Chris Broussard. "That's the first thing -- it hurts. And then with people saying and thinking I'm quitting on my team.

Nearly every time Andrew Bynum muscled his way inside, two barricades stopped his imposing presence. One roadblock came in the form of Thunder center Kendrick Perkins, whose physical approach to defense suddenly prevented Bynum from bullying his way to the basket. The other barrier simply reflected Bynum missing routine hooks, post-up shots or "bunnies," as he likes to call them. The Lakers' 99-96 victory Friday over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal playoff series featured Bynum shooting only two of 13 from the field, leading him to say, "My touch today was a little off around the rim. " Yet, Lakers Coach Mike Brown gushed afterward that Bynum "was an absolute monster.

From Boston It's been several days since I have had the chance to remind everyone how clueless Plaschke can be, and since this was a wasted game, I certainly don't want to waste such an opportunity. Plaschke continues to make the case that the Lakers have to unload Andrew Bynum, insisting they replace him with free agent Chris Bosh. And by Sunday, I believe. "I stand by it, stand by it, stand by it," Plaschke said — so used to no one listening to him on "Around the Horn" that he must constantly repeat himself.

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard will have a season-ending back surgery Friday in Los Angeles to repair a herniated disk in his lower back that has sidelined him for two weeks. The surgery will likely keep him out for four months, preventing him from participating in the playoffs and playing with the U.S. National team at the London Olympics. "It hurts [emotionally]," Howard told ESPN the Magazine's Chris Broussard. "That's the first thing -- it hurts. And then with people saying and thinking I'm quitting on my team.

Reporting from Portland, Ore. Andrew Bynum was feeling pain and it had nothing to do with his knee. Lakers fans were able to exhale. His teammates had no reason to look so lethargic in a 93-86 loss Friday against Portland, but Bynum looked sluggish because of food poisoning that almost caused him to miss the game. He skipped the morning shoot-around, blaming bad salmon he consumed late Wednesday in San Francisco. "It wasn't done but I ate it anyway," he said, obviously regretting his decision.

In the bad news for the Lakers, Pau Gasol tweaked his other hamstring and is day-to-day again. On the bright side, they finally figured a way to get the ball to Andrew Bynum! Bynum's game, in mourning since Gasol returned, was reborn as soon as Pau left, after Andrew's first-quarter stint in which he got no shots, scored no points and grabbed one rebound. After that, Bynum scored 19 points, making all eight of his shots, his biggest scoring game in a month. Not that that was why the Lakers beat the Dallas Mavericks, reportedly the No. 2 team in the West, who collapsed as soon as the opening tip went up. If this was the Mavericks' audition for the role of one of the titans in a duel of titans, it came on the second night of a back-to-back, and they were DOA. Gratefully, the Lakers, who struggled recently against teams like the Kings and Warriors when they weren't getting bombed by the Cavaliers and Suns, coasted to a 131-96 victory, dominating the Mavericks as they had dominated everyone up to Christmas and no one since.

There are a few words that ruin the day of any Lakers fan when thrown together in a sentence. They are: pain, knee and Andrew Bynum. The oft-injured Lakers center sent a tremor through the fan base when he felt pain in his right knee after going up for a rebound Sunday against Toronto. Even before making his comeback last week against Washington, Bynum was worried about jumping twice in succession under the basket, which is when he felt a twinge Sunday ? leaping for a rebound and put-back after missing a layup.

Andrew Bynum stood before a gathering fidgeting, his eyes roaming, looking like a player who wanted the questions about the bone bruise in his right knee to end quickly. The seven-foot Lakers center was quick to announce that he will play Sunday in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Hornets at Staples Center, saying, "I'm fine" and "I'll be all right" after he practiced Friday. Bynum was injured Tuesday night against the Spurs.

Can a player be a former All-Star without ever being selected to the All-Star team? Here's a case for Andrew Bynum: He was the top center in the Western Conference the first month of the season as he effortlessly absorbed Pau Gasol's points and rebounds while the Lakers' power forward missed 11 games. Then Gasol returned from a hamstring injury and Bynum disappeared. There's not a lot to criticize on a team tied with Boston for the NBA's best record (23-5), but Bynum continues to take steps back.

Another day, another game in which the Lakers will have to see if they can manage without Kobe Bryant. He will sit out for the fifth consecutive game Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks because of a sore left shin. Since Friday, Bryant has managed to walk pain-free. But a team spokesman said he has yet to show he can both run and then jump pain-free, two requirements Bryant must pass before the Lakers' training staff will clear him to play. There are plenty of reasons Lakers Coach Mike Brown hardly sounded concerned about Bryant staying on the sideline.

Another day, another game in which the Lakers will have to see if they can manage without Kobe Bryant. He will sit out for the fifth consecutive game Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks because of a sore left shin. Since Friday, Bryant has managed to walk pain-free. But a team spokesman said he has yet to show he can both run and then jump pain-free, two requirements Bryant must pass before the Lakers' training staff will clear him to play. There are plenty of reasons Lakers Coach Mike Brown hardly sounded concerned about Bryant staying on the sideline.

When: 12:30 p.m. Where: Staples Center. On the air: TV: Channel 7; Radio: 710, 1330. Records: Lakers 38-22; Mavericks 34-26. Record vs. Mavericks: 3-0. Update: A victory over Dallas would give the Lakers a sweep in the regular-season series a year after the Mavericks won all four games against the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals. But Lakers center Andrew Bynum said that accomplishment would not hold any significance should the teams meet again in a few weeks: "Because it's not the playoffs.

-- The Times' Mike Bresnahan provides an injury update on Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who is considered day-to-day because of a "moderately sprained" left ankle. Bresnahan mentions it's possible Troy Murphy may start at center in his place. -- The Orange County Register's Janis Carr mentions Jamaal Wilkes' Hall of Fame induction. -- ESPN Los Angeles' Brian Kamenetzky believes Bynum should sit if there's any ounce of doubt about his injury. --Check out one of the NBA's promo ads featuring Bryant (H/T to Forum Blue and Gold's Darius Soriano )

The sold-out Staples Center crowd shouted Kobe Bryant's name. This time, however, the chants had nothing to do with Bryant hitting a game-winner, performing a spectacular play or recognizing him as the league MVP while at the free-throw line. It had everything to do with the 18,997 fans wanting Coach Mike Brown to play him late in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' eventual 102-96 loss Sunday to the Memphis Grizzlies. Yet, there Bryant sat on the bench with 5:45 remaining in the game, shortly after the Lakers' star punched the bench in frustration during a timeout and then leaving the Lakers' huddle while coaches were diagramming a play.

The NBA is not expected to further discipline Lakers center Andrew Bynum for his ejection from Tuesday's game against Houston, according to a league official. Bynum was ejected with 1:10 left in the third quarter after picking up his second technical foul. He high-fived teammates and a handful of fans in court-side seats before being turned toward the locker room by a team security official. Instead of walking around the court, Bynum walked across it to get to the locker room.

The moment Ramon Sessions hit the deck, Pau Gasol and Josh McRoberts rushed to pick him up. After all, Sessions has become the Lakers' most prized possession. The moment Sessions runs the offense, finds an open teammates or drives to the rack, the crowd at Staples Center gazes in amazement. No Laker fan has seen this kind of speed when Derek Fisher played point guard. The moment Sessions details the varying lengths he's crammed about the offense, the reporters around him remain astonished.

Shot blockers The NBA's leading shot blockers this season, through Sunday. Player; team; games played; blocks; blocks per game; 1 DeAndre Jordan, Clippers, 14; 42; 3.0; 1 JaVale McGee, Washington, 16; 48; 3.0; 3 Marc Gasol, Memphis; 15; 39; 2.6; 4 Serge Ibaka , Oklahoma City; 16; 40; 2.5; 5 Dwight Howard, Orlando; 15; 35; 2.3; 6 Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee; 10; 20; 2.0; 6 Samuel Dalembert, Houston;...

A statement released by Derek Fisher's business manager suggested the Houston Rockets bought out his contract partly out of his hope to play on a championship-contending team. "After much discussion and expressing their desire to welcome Derek to their team this season as well as the 2012-2013 season, the Houston Rockets and Derek have negotiated a buyout," said Jamie Wior, Fisher's business manager. "Derek's desire to win a sixth championship is what drives him and will continue to drive him as he moves forward.

The Lakers finally have a bad home loss. It took an uncharacteristically off performance from Kobe Bryant, who made only three of 20 shots, and an unsightly 24 turnovers for the Lakers to find themselves on the wrong end of a 103-99 defeat against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night at Staples Center. Miami or Oklahoma City, this wasn't. The Jazz came into the game with a .500 record and was missing starters Al Jefferson and Raja Bell. No matter. Bryant had a chance to make up for all his misses in the final seconds when he hoisted a three-point attempt that could have tied the score.