Kobe Bryant, who on Wednesday aggravated a sprained left ankle that he originally suffered in Philadelphia last Friday, spent Thursday afternoon’s practice in full rehabilitation mode.
“He’s working with it,” said Phil Jackson. “He didn’t come out on the court and practice. He’s trying a variety of therapies on it right now to see what will work for him.”
Jackson said he’s sure that Bryant wants to play on Friday against Denver, as he always does, but that the team will have to wait and see how he feels before the game.
A regular question this season regarding Bryant – who’s played through a motley crew of injuries – has been whether or not Jackson has thought about shutting him down.
“It occurred to me yesterday during (L.A.’s win over Charlotte), but I told him he really did quite well during the game,” the head coach responded. “His shooting was 2-for-12, (but) a lot of those balls were dropped on him as the 24-second clock was running out.”
Jackson explained that Bryant kept the team running its offense, played good defense and generally did good things for the Lakers, and as long as that is the case, Jackson has maintained that he won’t keep Kobe off the floor.
Bryant uncharacteristically admitted that he was hurting in his postgame address to the media on Wednesday, but he wasn’t available for comment on Thursday. Yet and still, it certainly wouldn’t surprise Bryant’s teammates to see him in the starting lineup on Friday.
“He usually plays 82 games,” said Lamar Odom. “That wheel is going to really have to hurt for him not to play.”