Bryant sat out three games last week due to overall body soreness…
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Los Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott has revealed that he is pleased with the way that Kobe Bryant has responded after being rested for three games last week.
Bryant missed the bulk of the Christmas schedule as he suffered with general body soreness, and Scott made the decision to sit him out in order for him to recover.
The Lakers legend responded with 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in his first game back on Sunday and then followed that up with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists on Tuesday.
Scott has also reduced his playing time to around 32 minutes, around five minutes less from what he averaged in the first month of the season.
“So far, the experiment is working,” Scott said. “We’re just going to keep at it and see how it turns out.”
Bryant continued to miss practice in between games by sitting out a second straight session on Thursday but he is expected to start against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.
“Kobe came in and got some shots up and got some treatment,” Scott said after Thursday’s practice. “He said he feels great, so we’re going to stick to the plan. Tomorrow he’s going to come in and get some more shots up, and we’ll go through shootaround and go from there.”
Scott added that he speaks daily with Bryant about his condition and his thoughts on how the game is going, and he dismissed suggestions that the 36-year-old had changed his game to become more of a facilitator. The Lakers coach insisted that he is merely taking what the opposition defence gives him and he hopes it continues to help the team win games.
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