Caracter sprains ankle against Clippers

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The Los Angeles Lakers depleted depth at the front court position got even shallower Wednesday night.

Backup center Derrick Caracter suffered a left ankle sprain after colliding with Kobe Bryant late in the first quarter and falling to the floor. He hobbled up and down the court for two possessions before leaving the game with 1:33 remaining in the first quarter of the Lakers 87-86 win against the Los Angeles Clippers.

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Caracter went to the locker room for treatment and the team announced he would not return.He will be re-evaluated Thursday at the team's practice facility before the Lakers fly to Chicago to start a six-game road trip.

He is officially listed as day-to-day.

"I thought he would be back and playing," Lakers head coach Phil Jackson said after the game. "I thought he was just going back and getting his ankle taped and he'd be right back in the ball game. He just never found a comfort level."

The rookie selected with the No. 58 pick out of Texas El Paso, who had been used more often in recent weeks with Andrew Bynum and Theo Ratliff out of the lineup and Pau Gasol slowed by a left hamstring strain, has averages of 2.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.4 blocks in 7.5 minutes per game this season.

With Caracter out, Gasol once again logged 40 minutes and looked sluggish at times, finishing just 4-of-13 from the field for 10 points. Lamar Odom also filled in at center and fouled out of the game in 35 minutes of playing time.

Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com. Follow him on Twitter.

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Dave McMenamin

ESPNLosAngeles.com

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Dave McMenamin spent five seasons as a staff writer for NBA.com in New York and Los Angeles before joining ESPNLosAngeles.com to cover the Lakers and the NBA.