Kobe Bryant took a little-known kick to the left shin on March 31, and he has been hurting ever since.
It takes a lot for Bryant to sit out a game, but he did just that Saturday night in Phoenix -- and the Lakers lost without him to the Suns, 125-105. Bryant has been diagnosed with tenosynovitis of the shin, which involves an inflamed tendon sheath causing pain during foot movement.
Bryant played 37 minutes in the Lakers' loss to Houston on Friday night but was announced just before the game Saturday night as being out. Coach Mike Brown said he wasn't notified until just before game time. Rarely used reserve Devin Ebanks started in Bryant's place. Bryant did show up on the Lakers' bench Saturday night and was able to move around and stand up without apparent discomfort.
Bryant last missed a game in April 2010. He played all 82 games last season.
NOTES, QUOTES
Games against Spurs finally kick in
--The scheduling quirk of the season for the Lakers is that they still haven't played rival San Antonio -- but have three meetings coming up against the team directly ahead of them in the Western Conference standings. The first matchup is Wednesday in San Antonio.
--The Lakers' defense has not been tenacious or physical enough to play as effectively as it did early this season, and the evidence was everywhere Saturday night in Phoenix. The Suns scored 125 points -- the most the Lakers have allowed all season -- and committed just three turnovers, the fewest the Lakers have forced in a game in franchise history.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Hopefully, it doesn't happen again." -- coach Mike Brown after Andrew Bynum's second ejection in the past month.
ROSTER REPORT
PLAYER NOTES:
--C Andrew Bynum, despite his recent troubles with an ankle sprain and ejection Friday night, has become a serious offensive threat to go with Kobe Bryant. When Bynum scored 36 points against the Clippers on Wednesday night while shooting 13 for 20 from the field to team with Bryant's 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting, it was the first time two Lakers had 30 points with at least 65 percent shooting since Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal did it on Feb. 18, 2004, at Golden State.
--G Ramon Sessions said the sprained left shoulder he is dealing with isn't holding him back much. He said he is wearing a protective shirt more for the added padding in case of further contact as opposed to current pain. However, he got fouled on the shoulder Saturday night in Phoenix and was clearly in pain.
--F Matt Barnes is taking advantage of additional playing time afforded by coach Mike Brown's decision not to play rookie shooting guard Andrew Goudelock. Barnes has shown a knack for hustle stats even when his shooting is off, and he had a game- and season-high 13 rebounds Friday night vs. Houston. He had seven more rebounds and four assists Saturday night in Phoenix but shot 1 for 7 from the field.
