They’re about to get caught a little short

NEW ORLEANS -- It’s not really their choice, but the Lakers are now forced to play small ball.

They’re a little bit behind the curve (see: Golden State, Phoenix in the pre-Shaquille O’Neal days, Houston in the post-Yao Ming days), but the Lakers have no choice because three of their 7-footers are sidelined by injuries.

Pau Gasol is out for at least the next three games because of a sprained left ankle, joining Andrew Bynum (knee) and Chris Mihm (ankle) on an ever-growing injury report.

“We’ll have to play a different style of basketball,” Coach Phil Jackson said.

Gasol was hurt when he came down on Vladimir Radmanovic’s foot with about 9 minutes 30 seconds left in the first quarter of the Lakers’ 108-98 loss Friday to New Orleans. A definite timetable will be established today after Gasol undergoes an MRI exam.

With Bynum not expected back until at least the second week of April, the Lakers will be razor-thin in the middle. Mihm might begin practicing with the team after it returns next week from its four-game trip.

Ronny Turiaf had one point, six rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes against the Hornets. Luke Walton and Lamar Odom also took turns defending 7-foot-1 center Tyson Chandler.

“Even though we’re not going to get maybe as many points with me down low, I’m still going to try and do my best,” Turiaf said. “In no way, shape or form am I a Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum, I just try to do the best to my abilities. I still can provide some spark down there.”

The Lakers played with a small lineup in victories over Toronto and Washington after acquiring Gasol from Memphis last month. Gasol sat out his first two games with the Lakers because of a sore back.

The quality of opponent will be markedly different in the near future with road games against Houston, Dallas and Utah.

“Obviously our offense will change a lot,” Kobe Bryant said. “We don’t have that inside presence. . . . I’ll have to be on the move a lot more so teams can’t lock in on where I’m at on the floor and send guys at me.

“We’ll have more speed in the lineup with Ronny being at [center]. We’re undersized a little bit, but we have to try to find a way to use that to our advantage.”

If Bryant plays in the Olympics before having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right pinkie finger, Jackson has an idea about how to rest him.

“He can sit out all of training camp, as far as I’m concerned,” Jackson said. “For guys that have been in this league for a long period of time, training camp is a grueling process. And for coaches, it’s awful.”

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com