Surgery Expected to Sideline Van Exel for Three Weeks

Nick Van Exel underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Thursday that will sideline him at least three weeks but also bring a sense of relief.

The all-star point guard could have been lost for much longer had the procedure at Centinela Hospital Medical Center revealed any ligament or tendon damage. Instead, team physician Steve Lombardo found a divot-like chip on the back of the kneecap that probably caused the clicking sensation and removed some scar tissue and bone fragments that might also have contributed to the problem.

Van Exel is scheduled to begin rehabilitation in two or three days, and the progress of that will determine how much time he misses. But nothing can be done for the defect on the bone, meaning he will have to play with it for the rest of his career and hope the problem does not worsen.

Van Exel, who has sat out the last five games, already has played most of this season with soreness in the left knee from bone-on-bone rubbing in that joint, also a problem that can not be corrected. The course of action to treat that has simply been to limit his playing time whenever possible, so he is averaging about three minutes less per game than last season.

The Lakers are 6-2 without Van Exel, all games he missed because of the knee problems. Derek Fisher has started each time and averaged 8.6 points and seven assists. He had a season-high 20 points Wednesday at Indiana, hours after Van Exel decided to go ahead with the surgery.

TONIGHT at Minnesota

* 5 PST

* TNT; Ch. 9 (6 p.m.)

Site--Target Center, Minneapolis.

Radio--KLAC (570).

Records--Lakers 38-16, Timberwolves 30-25.

Record vs. Timberwolves--3-0.

Update--The Lakers’ mood has taken a considerable upturn with the last two games, a rout of the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday and a win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. Another victory tonight will give the Lakers a sweep of the season series for the first time since 1989-90, the inaugural campaign for the Timberwolves.