A happy return for Lakers' Pau Gasol

The never-ending "hamstring watch" finally ended. Pau Gasol was back.

After two setbacks and almost five weeks of limping around on the most scrutinized leg muscle of the season, Gasol returned to the Lakers, looking as if he had never left them.

The box scores show he missed 11 games, but he was in late-season form in a 108-93 victory Thursday over the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center.

Gasol had 24 points and 13 rebounds in 35 minutes. The Lakers had the starting five they envisioned for months.

They had experienced a weird few weeks without him. There was a home loss to Dallas. Near-losses in Oklahoma City and Houston. A drubbing in Denver. Another home loss to Houston.

They were 8-3 without him, nowhere near the confidence and competence that made them NBA champions five months ago.

There had been one glimpse of glory -- a thrashing of Phoenix last week -- but then a lot of shrugs. "Wait 'til we're healthy," was the general response.

They're healthy now, the lone exception being reserve forward Luke Walton....