LAKERS NOTEBOOK: MRI shows Gasol has bone bruise

EL SEGUNDO - Pau Gasol didn't seem too concerned about his soreright knee Monday afternoon. He went through a weight-liftingworkout and then underwent some medical treatment on his knee, buthe did not join his teammates for their practice.

Later, he went for an MRI exam that revealed he has a bonebruise.

The Lakers termed his status day-to-day, which means it'suncertain whether he will play in tonight's game against the UtahJazz at Staples Center.

Gasol landed awkwardly after Denver center Nene fouled him on adrive to the basket in the third quarter. Gasol's right leg bore hisfull weight as he crashed to the court. After a short stay in thelocker room, he returned to the game.

"I feel a little bit better than I did (Sunday) night, which is agood sign," he said before the exam. "I feel good about it.Obviously, I'm not 100 percent sure, but we'll find out soon enough.... Hopefully, I'll pass out and take a nap (during the MRI)."

Gasol said medical personnel usually have to rig the MRI machineto fit his 7-foot frame. He said he often goes in feet-first becausehis feet and lower legs would be sticking out because he's so muchtaller than the average patient.

Meanwhile, Andrew Bynum, the Lakers' other 7-footer, said hisright knee was fine and that he would play tonight against the Jazz.Bynum was hurt when teammate Lamar Odom fell into him in the fourthquarter of Sunday's loss to the Nuggets.

It wasn't unlike the play in which Bynum suffered a torn rightknee ligament in the 2008-09 season, when Kobe Bryant tumbled intohim during a game against the Grizzlies in Memphis. This time, Bynumwas wearing a knee brace.

"It's crazy, isn't it?" he said of the plays.

Bynum has been wearing the brace since returning from offseasonsurgery to mend torn cartilage. He sat out for 24 games, the fourthconsecutive season in which he's been sidelined for a significantblock of games because of knee trouble.

Smile, you're on TV

Lakers games and practices normally draw a large pack of print,Internet and radio and TV reporters, but their numbers haveincreased even more since shooting began on the new reality showstarring Odom and his wife, Khloe Kardashian.

Odom shrugged when asked about being shadowed by a crew of cameraand boom microphone operators. He's used to such intrusions,especially when he's out in public after a tough loss like the onethe Lakers suffered Sunday.

"You know, you're at the club and TMZ is right there in yourface, like, 'Why didn't you box out, Lamar?"' Odom joked, referringto a pivotal play late in Sunday's loss, when he failed to block outDenver's Kenyon Martin, who sank a clinching layup.

Also ...

The Lakers have won nine consecutive against the Jazz at StaplesCenter. They also defeated the Jazz on Friday in Salt Lake City. ...The Lakers' franchise-record streak of having fewer turnovers thantheir opponents ended at 13 games, when they had 20 and the Nuggetscommitted 17.

elliott.teaford@dailybreeze.com