Van Exel Playing Through Knee Pain

Shaquille O’Neal and Robert Horry are returning from major knee injuries. Elden Campbell was held out again Sunday because of a bruised buttock, making it five of the last seven games he has missed as the result of a hard fall. But the condition that may become the greatest concern for the Lakers as the playoffs approach is the bruised left knee of Nick Van Exel.

Van Exel has played 41 and 35 minutes in the two games back after missing the previous three contests, but not without bother. He has tried taping the joint and not taping it. He has tried different sleeves around the knee.

“I’ve got to go,” he said. “I’ve got to play through it.”

That’s the plan. The Lakers have the next three days off, but Van Exel is not scheduled to get any rest beyond that, meaning he’ll probably go the rest of the way in pain.

“Probably not,” Coach Del Harris said. “It’s going to hurt him anyway. It’s one of those slow-healer jobs. He’s just going to have to play through some pain.”

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Because the Utah Jazz has won the Midwest Division, the Houston Rockets can’t get the No. 2 spot in the West playoff draw even if they finish ahead of the Lakers and Seattle SuperSonics. Whoever wins the Pacific Division will get it.

But best record will still determine home-court advantage. So if the Rockets are technically No. 3 but finish ahead of the Lakers and SuperSonics in the conference standings, Houston gets the Game 7 should the teams meet.

With the three tied at 54-25, everyone is idle tonight. The Lakers are off until Thursday, but the SuperSonics play host to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday while the Rockets play host to the Clippers.

The SuperSonics still have the easier schedule, but the Lakers have the tiebreaker. Winning the next three will make them Pacific champions.