Luke Returns!

Amplify’d from lakersblog.latimes.com

Luke Walton's return - Even though Jackson had indicated earlier this week he needed to see Walton in a "hard practice" before he made his first regular-season appearance because of a strained right hamstring, Jackson reconsidered after Walton successfully went through running and three-on-three drills on Thursday. So even if Walton dressed for the Raptors game, Jackson said that wouldn't automatically yield to playing time. "I'm not going to throw him out there whimsicially because he needs minutes, Jackson said of Walton, whose activation left rookie forward Devin Ebanks off the roster. "I'm going to throw him out there because we need to use him to our advantage. In many ways I hope he doesn't have to play, but the other possibility we may have to use him because of the situations that demand it." Jackson inserted Walton with 5:41 left in the second quarter in hopes he'd help with the facilitating the triangle and helping in boxing out. But his immediate three-point attempt hit the backboard, a shot Walton said he took simply because Bryant instructed him to do so. He then reentered the game with 24.8 seconds remaining in the third quarter, and recorded a steal that led to Gasol's bank shot that gave the Lakers a 89-80 lead with 9:58 remaining in the game. "It was nice to be out there and feel no pain," said Walton, who played six minutes. hopefully I wake up tomorrow and feel the same way." My back feels great," he added. "That's what felt so frustrating about the hamstring. I felt so good in the first week of training camp and the hamstring went. It felt frustrating, but I feel great right now." Read more at lakersblog.latimes.com

 

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