Posted by The Popular News Today on Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Posted by The Popular News Today on Thursday, May 5, 2011
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Phil Jackson said Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will play in Game 5 of the team's first-round series against the New Orleans Hornets on Tuesday.
"I think the questionable thing is, how well can he play? Can he help his team when he's on the floor? Do we stay with him if he doesn't help the team because he can be a liability on the defensive end? Will they attack him? All of those things are part of the picture and I'm going to have to make some decisions around that as the game goes on," Jackson said before tip-off.
Jackson said Bryant would play about the same amount of minutes he did in Game 4, which was 36.
Bryant still hasn't had his sprained left ankle further examined through X-rays or an MRI, according to Jackson.
For more news, notes and analysis of the Lakers, check out the Land O' Lakers blog from the Kamenetzky Brothers. Blog
"If he knows that it's just a minor injury, if he knows his body that well, yeah, I think it's OK," Jackson said.
"It's something I think he can live with and we can."
The Lakers training staff evaluated Bryant at Staples Center prior to the game.
Bryant was limited at shootaround and Jackson was unsure of what capacity the back-to-back Finals MVP would be at come tip-off.
"He came out on the court and did some things with the ball, but it wasn't like a shootaround. It was more of a comfort zone," Jackson said.
When asked if Bryant ever explored further diagnostic tests on the ankle on Monday evening, Jackson said, "Not that I'm aware."
Bryant did not speak to reporters, but teammate Ron Artest downplayed the impact Bryant's ankle will have on his game.
"He's going to be fine. Kobe's Kobe," Artest said. "It's not even an issue because Kobe's Kobe. He's going to come and play."
If Bryant is limited, it could provide an ample opportunity for four-time All-Star Pau Gasol to get his game going. Gasol is averaging just 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in the series, down from his regular season marks of 18.8 points and 10.2 rebounds.
"Everybody is going to have to step up and perform," Jackson said. "It's important for us."
Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Follow Dave McMenamin on Twitter: @mcten
jQuery.getScriptCache("http://platform.twitter.com/anywhere.js?id=HqH9j16pPQUPNsz4pvudWg&v=1.1", function() { twttr.anywhere.config({'callbackURL': 'http://'+location.host+'/nhl/twitter/anywhere'}); twttr.anywhere(function (T) { T('a.twitter-anywhere').hovercards({infer: true}); }); });
Posted by The Popular News Today on Monday, April 25, 2011
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has a sprained left ankle and is officially listed as day to day, a team spokesman told reporters on Monday.
For more news, notes and analysis of the Lakers, check out the Land O' Lakers blog from the Kamenetzky Brothers. Blog
"He says he'll play," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of Bryant's status for Tuesday's pivotal Game 5 with the Lakers' first-round series tied 2-2.
Bryant's injury occurred late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 93-88 Game 4 loss to the New Orleans Hornets while Bryant was defending Hornets guard Willie Green. He turned his ankle over and fell into Green, causing a foul.
Bryant spent Monday undergoing extensive treatment on the ankle, according to Jackson, including icing, electrostimulation and massage.
Bryant declined to undergo any further examination of the injury through X-rays or an MRI, going against the wishes of the Lakers front office.
"Right now, he's not," Jackson said. "We're trying to convince him that it might be a good idea."
When asked what the Lakers' medical staff thought of Bryant's injury, Jackson said, "He won't let them deal with it."
Bryant has a history of seeking private medical consultation away from the team. He privately arranged surgery for his right knee last summer.
Jackson said that if diagnostic tests revealed any more serious injury, it would not affect Bryant's decision to suit up for Tuesday.
"It doesn't matter, he's going to play anyway," Jackson said.
Bryant did not speak to reporters on Monday. The back-to-back Finals MVP declared he would play following Game 4, however.
"I should play," Bryant said. "It's going to take a lot to stop me from playing.
"I'm concerned, as I am about any injury, but I've played through so many of them it kind of becomes old hat for me."
Bryant came into Sunday's on the Lakers injury list as playing with a sprained left ankle already.
Bryant suffered what he described as the "scariest" ankle sprain of his 15-year career in a game versus the Dallas Mavericks on March 12, but he played through it, not missing any games.
Bryant said that the sprain he suffered against New Orleans feels different than the one he had against Dallas, however.
"It's more my foot," Bryant said. "It's not really my ankle. It's my foot ... I don't really hurt that too often, so, it's a little different for me."
The team maintained Monday that it is a left ankle injury for Bryant and not a left foot injury.
Lakers forward Pau Gasol would not even entertain a scenario where Bryant, the Lakers co-captain, would miss Tuesday's game.
"I think he'll play no matter what," Gasol said. "So, I'm not even thinking about anything else."
Lakers starting center Andrew Bynum expressed confidence in his team no matter what Bryant's health status may be.
"Our defense will be better and our offense will be better and we will win Game 5," Bynum declared.
Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Follow Dave McMenamin on Twitter: @mcten
jQuery.getScriptCache("http://platform.twitter.com/anywhere.js?id=HqH9j16pPQUPNsz4pvudWg&v=1.1", function() { twttr.anywhere.config({'callbackURL': 'http://'+location.host+'/nhl/twitter/anywhere'}); twttr.anywhere(function (T) { T('a.twitter-anywhere').hovercards({infer: true}); }); });
Posted by The Popular News Today
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has a sprained left ankle and is officially listed as day to day, a team spokesman told reporters on Monday.
For more news, notes and analysis of the Lakers, check out the Land O' Lakers blog from the Kamenetzky Brothers. Blog
"He says he'll play," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of Bryant's status for Tuesday's pivotal Game 5 with the Lakers' first-round series tied 2-2.
Bryant's injury occurred late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 93-88 Game 4 loss to the New Orleans Hornets while Bryant was defending Hornets guard Willie Green. He turned his ankle over and fell into Green, causing a foul.
Bryant spent Monday undergoing extensive treatment on the ankle, according to Jackson, including icing, electrostimulation and massage.
Bryant declined to undergo any further examination of the injury through X-rays or an MRI, going against the wishes of the Lakers front office.
"Right now, he's not," Jackson said. "We're trying to convince him that it might be a good idea."
When asked what the Lakers' medical staff thought of Bryant's injury, Jackson said, "He won't let them deal with it."
Bryant has a history of seeking private medical consultation away from the team. He privately arranged surgery for his right knee last summer.
Jackson said that if diagnostic tests revealed any more serious injury, it would not affect Bryant's decision to suit up for Tuesday.
"It doesn't matter, he's going to play anyway," Jackson said.
Bryant did not speak to reporters on Monday. The back-to-back Finals MVP declared he would play following Game 4, however.
"I should play," Bryant said. "It's going to take a lot to stop me from playing.
"I'm concerned, as I am about any injury, but I've played through so many of them it kind of becomes old hat for me."
Bryant came into Sunday's on the Lakers injury list as playing with a sprained left ankle already.
Bryant suffered what he described as the "scariest" ankle sprain of his 15-year career in a game versus the Dallas Mavericks on March 12, but he played through it, not missing any games.
Bryant said that the sprain he suffered against New Orleans feels different than the one he had against Dallas, however.
"It's more my foot," Bryant said. "It's not really my ankle. It's my foot ... I don't really hurt that too often, so, it's a little different for me."
The team maintained Monday that it is a left ankle injury for Bryant and not a left foot injury.
Lakers forward Pau Gasol would not even entertain a scenario where Bryant, the Lakers co-captain, would miss Tuesday's game.
"I think he'll play no matter what," Gasol said. "So, I'm not even thinking about anything else."
Lakers starting center Andrew Bynum expressed confidence in his team no matter what Bryant's health status may be.
"Our defense will be better and our offense will be better and we will win Game 5," Bynum declared.
Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Follow Dave McMenamin on Twitter: @mcten
jQuery.getScriptCache("http://platform.twitter.com/anywhere.js?id=HqH9j16pPQUPNsz4pvudWg&v=1.1", function() { twttr.anywhere.config({'callbackURL': 'http://'+location.host+'/nhl/twitter/anywhere'}); twttr.anywhere(function (T) { T('a.twitter-anywhere').hovercards({infer: true}); }); });