Needing Luke

January 21st, 2008, 7:31 pm · 1 Comment · posted by KEVIN DING, OCREGISTER.COM

LOS ANGELES — Vladimir Radmanovic (ankle) hasn’t resumed running yet, but he has shown some improvement and there’s a chance he’ll be ready to be with the Lakers to start their nine-game trip on Jan. 31. Although it looked at one time as if Radmanovic might struggle to regain a rotation spot, he is sorely needed now with Trevor Ariza (foot) out about eight weeks and Luke Walton struggling with his ankle injury.

Phil Jackson said both Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom will slide to small forward in some situations until Radmanovic returns. Walton has had chronic ankle problems in his career and his sore right ankle now might bother him the rest of the season.

He looked helpless when making fading post moves Thursday night against Phoenix, with even Jackson acknowledging how “overmatched” Walton looked. Jackson pulled him without waiting too long.

“I just watch him run,” Jackson said. “When he starts breaking down out there and can’t run with the kind of fluidity that’s necessary to play that position and starts pounding away rather than just running, then I know it’s time for him to come out.”

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