Phil Jackson: Kobe Bryant's left ankle is 'much better'
Kobe Bryant remains a game-time decision for tonight's game against Orlando, but his sprained left ankle was "much better," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said Monday.
Bryant did not talk to reporters after the team's shoot-around in El Segundo.
"He feels a lot better," Jackson said.
Bryant landed off-balance after Shawn Marion blocked his shot late in the third quarter Saturday against Dallas. Bryant hobbled to the bench, then to the locker room, but returned to the game midway through the fourth quarter.
"He's probably stretched all the ligaments and tendons out in his ankles, so he doesn't have a whole lot of tearing going on," Jackson said. "Otherwise it would be difficult."
On Saturday, Bryant said his ankle looked like a baseball but now it looked like a "squash ball," Jackson said.
The Lakers are on a 9-1 roll since the All-Star break. If Bryant doesn't play, Shannon Brown will get the start at shooting guard.
-- Mike Bresnahan
Photo: Kobe Bryant leaves the court after an injury Saturday night. Credit: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images
"Squash ball" is much better than "baseball."
Posted by: jefe101 | March 14, 2011 at 12:25 PM
MM is back.
Let the high thread count and bannings begin!
Posted by: yellofever | March 14, 2011 at 12:26 PM
Joy!!!
DBDH!
Posted by: Don't Blame Del Harris! | March 14, 2011 at 12:29 PM
I'll take a 50% Kobe over a 100% Shannon Brown any day.
Posted by: Magia32 | March 14, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Whatever Kobe decides is fine with me! By the way, he's actually shooting a point higher than his career FG %.
Posted by: D(erek)J(eter) | March 14, 2011 at 12:36 PM
He'll play. You'd need to blow him up with a howitzer to stop Kobe. Team looks good right now outside of checking out of the Miami game three minutes early.
Hope y'all are doing well.
Posted by: Jamie Sweet | March 14, 2011 at 12:42 PM
Welcome back, MM. Hope you got some nice R&R time before the playoff push begins.
DJ: I agree. Kobe knows what's best for Kobe, and I will always admire the way that he plays through injuries and pain. That injury looked BAD, and I was seriously worried. Then I saw that his foot was still attached, and I knew that everything would be fine.
We owe Orlando a bit of payback, and I hope we show up in full force tonight. Every loose ball, every strange bounce, every rebound, every fast break... Let's get 'em.
Go Lake Show!
Posted by: The Outlaw | March 14, 2011 at 12:48 PM
A starting job for Shannon Brown could do wonders to boost his game. I hope Kobe decides to be on the bench and come in if really needed like the RCOTD suggested! (congrats woo!)
Joe Smith has such a great attitude on his shoulders and is a really awesome guy. I love that he responds to his fans on twitter and is always engaging in any way possible. I also think it's awesome that he got to play with the Lakers considering they were his favourite team as a child. I think every player secretly wants to play for the lakers, celtics, bulls or knicks.
Posted by: Diandra | March 14, 2011 at 12:48 PM
MM
You really gave an ROCTD for a post of kobe coming off the bench?? You must be rusty.
The day kobe comes off the bench is the day "Mars needs Moms" or "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs" becomes a real life true story.
Posted by: yellofever | March 14, 2011 at 12:52 PM
make him sit until he stops jacking up ridiculous shots.
Posted by: sally | March 14, 2011 at 12:58 PM
yellofever,
Kudos.
What do we play for? RINGS!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!!!
Posted by: Jon K. | March 14, 2011 at 01:00 PM
I don't think it's a bad idea for him to come off the bench, if off at all. Just have him geared up incase we need him for the final minutes or something, but otherwise just sit down and rest.
Posted by: Diandra | March 14, 2011 at 01:02 PM
Yellofever
+1
Thanks
PSP Intern
Posted by: Practice Season Police | March 14, 2011 at 01:03 PM
You guys are kidding, right? Kobe coming off the BENCH?
There are two reasons that's not going to happen:
1. After warming up his ankle, Kobe will want to play before it stiffens up. Sitting on the bench waiting "in case we need him in the final minutes" is a recipe for disaster.
2. Kobe won't come off the bench unless he's missing a foot. Do you people seriously not get that?
RCOTD for that? FAIL.
Go Lake Show!
Posted by: The Outlaw | March 14, 2011 at 01:10 PM
BLOG CRUE
Great data on All Things Lakers:
Wafer, whose actual name is Vakeaton Quanmar Wafer, played in 16 games during his one season with Los Angeles, averaging a point a game.
— Steve Lowery
Feb. 12, 2011
Colorado loves our World Champion Lakers!
Posted by: Hugo Boss | March 14, 2011 at 01:11 PM
Someone posted the "slow-mo" of his ankle twist and my stomach turned! I was sure he would be out for today's game but he's a Timex: takes a licking and keeps on ticking!
Let’s put Orlando to sleep tonight, enjoy the time off and take care of the remainder of this favorable L.A. schedule. Next Up: Playoffs!
"Everything about the Lakers is geared toward winning playoff games. It's what they do." J.A. Adande
"Even when we didn’t make the playoffs, I thought we'd win the championship." Dr. Buss
Go Lakers & In Buss We Trust!!
Posted by: frmkt | March 14, 2011 at 01:12 PM
The Outlaw/yellofever,
I completely expect Kobe Bryant to do a "Luke Walton" and offer to come off the bench for the good of the team because that is completely congruent with the Kobe Bryant we have come to know over the last 15 years and works perfectly with his personality type.
Absolutely.
What do we play for? RINGS!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!!!
Posted by: Jon K. | March 14, 2011 at 01:14 PM
yellofever - Hah don't worry. The bannings won't happen so long as everyone behaves. As far as giving the RCOTD award regarding Kobe playing off the bench doesn't necessarily mean I agree with it. It just means I thought it was a good and well-presented argument. I see both sides to it. I think if Kobe is healthy enough to play, he should start. But his minutes should be monitored nonetheless
Posted by: Mark Medina | March 14, 2011 at 01:22 PM
That's good news, but I still hope Kobe can rest his ankle for tonight's game. I just don't want him to aggravate his ankle and possibly his knee. It will be a perfect time for Shannon to step up for Kobe and give his confidence back. I also heard PJ saying Barnes tweaked his knee during Miami game. I wonder if he is OK to play today.
Posted by: LakerPeace | March 14, 2011 at 01:28 PM
this was written:
1) Kobe will play his ego can't take it that the Lakers might actually do good without him it happened last year and before the lakers actually run the triangle without him
my response: Where were you when he played with an avulsion fracture
on his pinky and we went to the NBA finals?
Where were you when he had his knee drained right before the playoffs of 2010?
Where you there when his ego wouldn't let him fail the Lakers and we
won the championship in 2010?
But let's get on with something truly important.
http://www.chacha.com/question/who-has-the-most-shots-per-game-of-all-time?
http://www.chacha.com/question/who-has-the-most-shots-per-game-of-all-time
MJ == BallHog!
AI == BallHog!
Shaq == BallHog!
D-Fish == BallHog!
Posted by: hobbitmage | March 14, 2011 at 01:33 PM
While I'm at it ...
NorCal == BallHog!
Staples24 == BallHog!
Gunner == Clipper Girl [ too ugly to be a Lakers girl. :) ]
Posted by: hobbitmage | March 14, 2011 at 01:34 PM
wouldn't it be awesome if we had Steve Nash instead of Kobe Bryant?
Then we wouldn't have BallHogs are are back court. On the other hand,
we wouldn't have any championships either.
It's mo bettah not to have ballhogs than it is to have championships.
Posted by: hobbitmage | March 14, 2011 at 01:37 PM
BTW,
Kobe shooting higher % than his career ave. Oh yeah, still leads team in dishes.
Posted by: D(erek)J(eter) | March 14, 2011 at 01:51 PM
And,
Kobe Bryant=Ball hog= 5 RINGS!
Pau Gasol=Soft= 2 Rings in 3 years.
I'll take em both, ha, ha!
Posted by: D(erek)J(eter) | March 14, 2011 at 01:53 PM
@hobbit - you're on a roll...don't stop now.
@DJ - I'm with you!
Posted by: LRob | March 14, 2011 at 02:06 PM
you'd rather not have championships?!! why dont you move to cleveland or something..
PURP & YELLO....PURP & YELLO
Posted by: JJ | March 14, 2011 at 02:51 PM
http://twitter.com/ModelBubbles
Posted by: Fredo | March 14, 2011 at 03:17 PM
http://twitter.com/ModelBubbles
Posted by: Fredo | March 14, 2011 at 03:17 PM
hobbitmage,
You're right. If we had Nash, we'd have one more MVP in the last few years as well. Who needs rings when you can be a non-ballhog and get MVP trophies!
Posted by: LongTimeLakerFan | March 14, 2011 at 03:44 PM
Kobe shouldn't be too afraid to sit a game out here and there if he's not 100% and doesn't want to risk further injury. The team can pull off some wins without him and it may even be good for their confidence and aggressiveness if they see that they can win on their own without Kobe bailing them out.
The if he can walk, he can play strategy is probably not the best idea.
Posted by: Bay to LA | March 14, 2011 at 03:55 PM
I'd like to see Barnes play some two with and w/o Bryant playing
the point some.
I beleive our best defensive team is BRYANT (1) Barnes (2) Artest (3)
Gasol (4) and Bynum (5).
Hello Phil, give it a try.
Posted by: PMaz | March 14, 2011 at 04:16 PM
Keep it coming Hobbit!!!
Oh, and by the way... there were some here who mentioned that Kobe shoots around 30 shots and scores 25... i wonder where is that guy?
Posted by: dice8up | March 14, 2011 at 04:50 PM