Lakers take a day off

Coach Mike Brown gave the Lakers a day off on Saturday, after his team played three games in four nights.

Metta World Peace welcomed the day off, as did many of his teammates.

“I think it’s the energy. You can play as hard as you want, you don’t even have to be an athlete to know that when you get tired you stop,” World Peace said. “Your body can only take so much. I think guys are trying. I think a day off will help. It’s our seventh or eighth straight day on our feet. I think it hurt us a little bit.”

No other team in the NBA has played as many games to start the season, a difficulty for the Lakers given their myriad injuries.

Dwight Howard has just returned to basketball after six months off, recovering from back surgery.

Kobe Bryant missed a sizable part of the preseason with a foot injury that is still causing him discomfort.

Jordan Hill is trying to play with a herniated disk in his back.

Now Steve Nash is out at least a week with a non-displaced leg fracture.

The Lakers are 0-3 and lost all eight of their exhibition games. They play again Sunday night at home against the Detroit Pistons.

Perhaps the day off will lead to a different outcome.

“It might help. Bottom line is we have a game on Sunday and we have to be mentally ready and physically ready to do whatever it takes to win the game,” Pau Gasol said.

The Pistons are 0-2.

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