Kobe Out For a While http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1707601 Associated Press Tuesday, January 13, 2004 Associated Press EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Kobe Bryant is expected to miss at least five games and could be sidelined for several weeks with a sprained right shoulder. The Los Angeles Lakers' star was injured when he was fouled by Kedrick Brown late in the first quarter of a 89-79 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Tuesday that Bryant won't need surgery but probably will go on the injured list. Bryant had an MRI exam Tuesday morning, and the results were not as bad as feared. "In basic terms, it's a sprained shoulder," Jackson said. "I don't think there's any long-term effects to something like this." Bryant's injury was the latest blow to the Lakers' star-studded lineup. Shaquille O'Neal and Karl Malone also are out with injuries -- Malone for the past nine games with a sprained knee ligament and O'Neal the last five games with a strained right calf. O'Neal could return Wednesday night against Denver, although he didn't practice Tuesday. It's not clear when Malone will be back. Nobody saw that...
