Lakers Week 15 in review

The Lakers split four games through Week 15 but are a full 12 games out of eighth place in the Western Conference.

Point guard help arrived as the long-injured trio of Steve Nash, Steve Blake and Jordan Farmar returned to active duty.

Nash and Blake started in the backcourt on Tuesday in Minnesota but the team fell to the Timberwolves 109-99.

The following night, the Lakers visited the Cleveland Cavaliers in an odd game in which the Lakers ran out of players. Nick Young was lost to a knee injury, and Farmar suffered a setback but the Lakers still managed a 119-108 victory.

Young was later diagnosed with a knee fracture, out at least two weeks. The Lakers sixth man joked he wanted to egg the home of Cavaliers guard/forward C.J. Miles for causing the injury.

The Lakers signed Shawne Williams to a 10-day contract to help in the meantime.

Injuries have decimated the Lakers. Not a single Laker has played in every game this season. Six Lakers project to be out through the All-Star break.

The upshot, as General Manager Mitch Kupchak acknowledged, is that the Lakers are “going to have a good draft pick.�

On Friday, Steve Nash turned 40 years old, helping lead the Lakers to a 112-98 win over the Philadelphia 76ers to end the team’s three-game road trip.

The two wins didn’t exactly help the Lakers’ “tanking� position� for the 2014 NBA draft.

The Lakers began a six-game homestand, starting with the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.

On Saturday, Nash said he feels as good as he has since his 2012 leg fracture.

On Sunday, when the Lakers lost to the Bulls, 92-86, Nash left the game early after hurting his knee, aggravating the nerve injury that kept him out for most of the season.

With the trade deadline (Feb. 20) nearing, the Lakers discussed moving Pau Gasol to the Phoenix Suns.

The Suns have four first-round picks in 2014 NBA draft, at least one of which might appeal to the Lakers.

With Gasol sidelined with a groin injury and undergoing platelet therapy, talks stalled as the teams haggled over youth and draft considerations.

Kobe Bryant’s knee injury will make him miss the All-Star game on Feb. 16. Commissioner Adam Silver replaced Bryant with Anthony Davis.

Former Laker Manny Harris, recently sent back to the NBA Development League, was named a D-League all-star. On Saturday, Harris returned to the D-Fenders, scoring a franchise record 56 points in a win over the Santa Cruz Warriors.

Another former Laker, Sasha Vujacic, signed a 10-day contract with the Clippers.

Shaquille O’Neal, who the Lakers traded in 2004, said he and Bryant would have won two more titles had he stayed with the team.

Finally, Magic Johnson said he’s willing to help Lakers recruit players.

Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.