Blake's illness another blow for Lakers

LOS ANGELES — Only the Lakers.

Everything they do — win, lose, entertain — they do in a distinctive manner, so it only figured that when Steve Blake sat out practice Monday with a fever, it was prelude to something more dramatic:

Chicken Pox.

Blake was diagnosed Tuesday with the disease, which is contagious and typically afflicts children. Once you have it as a child, it is rare to catch it as an adult.

Blake is listed as out indefinitely, and the Lakers hope to have an idea of when they can expect him back by this weekend, when the playoffs begin. On Tuesday against San Antonio, they were also without Matt Barnes, whose surgically repaired right knee swelled up on him.

"I don't know," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said when asked how long Blake might be out. "Two games is what I'm thinking about right now. But I don't see him missing the playoffs — I don't know."

The loss of Blake and Barnes should put a dent in a paper-thin bench. For now, Shannon Brown and Luke Walton are expected to pick up the bulk of the minutes, and guard Trey Johnson will be recalled from Bakersfield of the D-League for Wednesday night's game in Sacramento.

If Blake or Barnes are unable to play in the playoffs, the burden of covering for them will likely fall on the starters.

Several Lakers — Walton, Lamar Odom and Brown — said they had Chicken Pox as children. One who did not is Andrew Bynum.

"My mom threw us all in the same room and wouldn't let us come out until we all had it," said Walton, one of four boys.

Jackson said he was not aware who has had Chicken Pox and who has not. But that will change.

"We haven't gone through the tea yet," he said. "But we'll be going through the players to find out."