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League will review Andrew Bynum’s flagrant foul

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The NBA is reviewing the flagrant foul called against Lakers center Andrew Bynum that landed Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace in the hospital to determine if any disciplinary action should be taken.

But league officials said Wednesday that it’s common practice for the NBA to review flagrant fouls.

The league could decide to do nothing, or it could fine and suspend Bynum for one game or more without pay.

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The Lakers took Wednesday off, but will return to practice today. Their next game is Friday at Minnesota. Bynum and the Lakers should know by then what course of action the league has taken.

Late in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ double-overtime loss to the Bobcats on Tuesday night at Staples Center, Bynum struck Wallace with his forearm. Wallace went to the floor and Bynum was called for flagrant foul.

The Bobcats said Wednesday that 30 to 40% of Wallace’s left lung collapsed because of the collision with Bynum and Wallace also suffered a broken rib. After getting a CT scan at Centinela Hospital, Wallace had a chest tube inserted into the lung to help restore full function.

Wallace will remain in the hospital for 48 hours for observation.

In recent games, Bynum has committed several hard fouls.

He fouled Cleveland’s LeBron James hard enough in game last week that the Cavaliers forward got up and glared at Bynum.

Bynum wasn’t called for a flagrant foul.

Ariza is mending

Lakers forward Trevor Ariza, who suffered a concussion during Tuesday night’s game, was examined by team physician John Moe on Wednesday and showed slight improvement but he still had symptoms, a Lakers spokesman said.

Ariza will get another exam today and the team will then decide if he leaves with the Lakers this afternoon for their flight to Minneapolis. Ariza left the game with 4:52 left in the second quarter and didn’t return after being injured when he was blindsided by a Juwan Howard screen.

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Hitting the road

The Lakers will leave Staples Center for a six-game trip that starts with the surging Minnesota Timberwolves and ends with the top two teams in the league, Boston and Cleveland. The Lakers had an easy first-half schedule, playing a league-low 17 road games, including two at Staples Center against the Clippers.

Now, Derek Fisher said, “It’s going to flip around. Our work is not going to be easy.”

The Lakers are a commendable 12-5 on the road, but they have 22 of their next 31 games on the road.

Will the Lakers be road warriors or road worriers?

“We were a good road team last year,” Kobe Bryant said. “We’re a good road team this year. We don’t worry about it too much.”

Gasol was missing

The Lakers entered the second overtime against Charlotte without Bryant, who had fouled out, and without Pau Gasol, who had not fouled out.

Instead, he was benched by Coach Phil Jackson, who later said Gasol was experiencing “probably his worst night as a Laker.” Gasol made only four of 16 shots and had 10 points in almost 42 minutes. He had three turnovers and one assist.

“I don’t know if I deserved to be out there at that point,” Gasol said.

Gasol was inserted for the last 25 seconds of the second overtime, with the Lakers trailing by six points.

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broderick.turner@latimes.com

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

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