Gasol glad to be seeing stars

By Mike Bresnahan

Jan. 31, 2009 12 AM PT

MINNEAPOLIS — What All-Star break?

Thanks to their success so far this season, the Lakers will have two players and an entire coaching staff in Phoenix for the All-Star game.

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson is no longer overtly criticizing the fact that he’ll have to spend three days in Phoenix, though he did let slip that he’d arrive for the festivities “as late as possible.”

Pau Gasol, on the other hand, will get to the desert as early as possible.

His brother, Marc, is playing in the rookie-sophomore game Feb. 13, and, well, Gasol is simply happy to be invited again to the Feb. 15 main event.

His last trip to the All-Star game wasn’t so memorable.

He was bedridden with flu-like symptoms leading up to the 2006 All-Star game, his only other appearance. He went scoreless in 14 minutes.

This season, coaches picked him as a reserve ahead of players such as Denver’s Carmelo Anthony, Minnesota’s Al Jefferson and Utah’s Paul Millsap.

“It’s great recognition to be part of that game, especially with the quality of players in our league,” said Gasol, who averages 17 points and nine rebounds. “There’s always players that are right there [equally] and it’s up to the voters, in this case, the coaches, to pick and choose who they think deserves it most.”

Gasol will be joined in Phoenix by Kobe Bryant, appearing in his 11th All-Star game, and Jackson, coaching in his fourth game.

Coaches cannot vote for their own players, but Jackson revealed he voted for former Laker Shaquille O’Neal, who made the team as a reserve, meaning the Phoenix center and Bryant will again be teammates.

Jackson said he would “of course” play them at the same time.

“I wouldn’t miss that opportunity for the world,” he said, smiling.

Ariza returns

Trevor Ariza played Friday against Minnesota after leaving Tuesday’s game against Charlotte in the second quarter because of a concussion.

He saw a doctor Friday morning in Minneapolis and was cleared to play after the results of a CT scan and MRI exam were negative. He had eight points in 23 minutes against the Timberwolves and said he “felt great” afterward.

He was injured Tuesday after running into a screen set by Charlotte forward Juwan Howard.

“After the first day, the queasiness went away and the dizziness went away,” Ariza said. “The only thing that lingered was the constant headaches. They’d get worse and then they’d ease up, and they’d get worse again.”

Ariza wanted to practice Thursday but didn’t feel as if he could, so he tried to lie down in the trainer’s room but felt that the lights were too bright.

“I had to go somewhere else, put my hood on, and go to sleep,” he said.

Ariza might have also sustained a similar jolt last Sunday against San Antonio, Jackson said.

“I actually think he might have gotten his bell rung in the game [against the Spurs],” Jackson said. “We think that might have been a second [blow against Charlotte], which is a little bit concerning.”

Love all around

Former UCLA standout Kevin Love didn’t have a memorable first game against the Lakers, scoring only two points in the Timberwolves’ 98-86 loss last month at Staples Center.

“He went to the UCLA game the day before and probably got caught up in the college spirit or something,” said Jackson, who has since seen improvement from Love. “What he’s doing is a contributing factor to this ballclub.”

Love had 14 points and nine rebounds Friday against the Lakers before fouling out with 7:18 to play.

For more news, go to Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky’s Lakers Blog

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