http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1102337876157190.xml Foot injury slows Lynch Injured feet, limited playing time affect his performance Monday, December 06, 2004 By Benjamin Hochman Staff writer Each morning during the past month, George Lynch warily stepped out of bed wondering if it would be the day he could do so without pain. Each morning in the past month, his first steps were excruciating, a harbinger for a day filled with agony because of aching pain in his feet. "My feet," the Hornets' forward said, "are killing me." Since training camp, the 34-year-old has dealt with continuous pain in his feet, especially his right foot. He ices his feet often. He has spoken with the designers of his orthotics and hopes that new sneakers will alleviate some pain. He has been offered cortisone shots, but does not want to go that route. The best treatment he can get, Lynch said, is rest. And he is not going that route. "We're already shorthanded," said Lynch, who has five teammates injured and inactive, including forward David West, whose knee injury should keep him out of action this week for the Hornets (1-14). "We have too many guys hurt, resting, for me to take a game or two off. It's one of those situations where I have to fight through it until everyone gets healthy." While Lynch perseveres, the consequences have been his lackluster performances. He began the season as the starter at small forward -- he started 51 of the 82 games last season, replacing the oft-injured Jamal Mashburn. In the first three games this season, he scored a combined 22 points. In the next 12, he scored a combined 31. His playing time decreased in the first eight games -- he played 18 minutes in Game No. 8 against Minnesota, the last game he started. He is, however, probable to replace West in the starting lineup Tuesday. Lynch attributed his statistics to his injury. "I think it's the biggest reason," said Lynch, who is averaging 3.9 points per game in his 12th NBA season. "Normally, I'm here at practice early, getting shots off. I get five or six looks a game, and you have to make them (Lynch has shot 3-for-17 in the seven games as a reserve.). "And I haven't been able to be aggressive defensively. The rebounding is down. All the things, the hustle plays, I can't do it. It's one of those situations where hopefully my feet get better. When your foot is hurting, everything is hurting." Coach Byron Scott is quick to say Lynch hasn't necessarily been demoted, rather, Lee Nailon has been promoted. In the same Minnesota game when Lynch was essentially a non-factor on the floor, Nailon had his coming-out game, scoring 21 points with six rebounds in 30 minutes. Nailon became the starter at small forward and averaged 15.2 points in the next seven games. "The one thing we need right now is scoring," said Scott, whose team is 29th in the NBA at 86.5 points per game. "Lee is a much better offensive player. He's proven that as a starter. Lee's just a better fit in the offense right now." For Lynch, watching game film has been like watching a horror film. Sure, he is not that kid fresh out of Chapel Hill, N.C., more than a decade ago. But he thinks he can contribute more effectively, if only his feet would cooperate. "Your coaches are saying, 'Make that play, make that play,' " Lynch said of film sessions. "A lot of it is defensively, getting rebounds, and doing little things that make a team better -- and I can't do it right now." The Hornets are back in action Tuesday at Houston. Then the Hornets host the New York Knicks on Wednesday at New Orleans Arena, where they are winless. "The fans are probably getting a little frustrated with us," Lynch said. "But it happens in sports -- you get injuries, and sometimes they're too much to overcome." . . . . . . . Benjamin Hochman can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3405. --

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