Los Angeles ? The injuries are mounting for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Fortunately, they have some time to heal before their playoff series with Houston resumes Friday night.

Slava Medvedenko was the latest player to go down, straining his right Achilles’ tendon late in the second quarter of Monday night’s 98-84 victory over the Rockets and sitting out the second half.

With Horace Grant sidelined due to an injured hip, Medvedenko has become an important part of the Lakers’ rotation, backing up Shaquille O’Neal at center and Karl Malone at power forward.

“He’s no better today. That’s a concern to us,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Tuesday at the team’s training facility in El Segundo. “Achilles are injuries you really have to be careful with.”

Fortunately, the Lakers have a 2-0 lead over the Rockets and some time off.

When winning the first two games of a playoff series, Jackson-coached teams have a 20-8 record in the third game.

O’Neal picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter of a tie game Monday night, but Jackson left him in the game. Had Medvedenko been available, the coach said O’Neal would have come out.

Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Devean George and Malone all played in the first two games despite injuries sustained late in the season.

An NBA spokesman said the league would speak to the Lakers about Kobe Bryant’s boycott of the media that began after his motivation was questioned after he attempted only one shot and wound up with eight points in a one-sided loss at Sacramento on April 11.