Bryant to return to lineup tonight By Howard Beck Staff Writer- Daily News MIAMI -- Kobe Bryant put up a few jumpers early Tuesday evening, most of them left-handed, but declared himself ready to rejoin the Lakers' lineup tonight in Houston, and by implication, for the All-Star Game on Sunday at Staples Center. Bryant had 15 stitches removed from a jagged cut in his right index finger Monday morning, and the area remains tender. But he has missed seven consecutive games and apparently wants to get in a little court time before this weekend. "He says he'll play (tonight)," coach Phil Jackson said. "If he can stand the discomfort, he can play. There's nothing else we have to worry about. "I think he should play if at all possible before the All-Star Game, if he wants to play in the All-Star Game. There's ample reason for him not to even play in the All-Star Game if he wanted to sit it out. Having not played in these last few games, I'm sure there's enough concern. But I'm sure he wants to play." Bryant declined requests to speak with reporters for a fourth consecutive day but told a Lakers publicist he would talk before tonight's game. The Lakers have gone 4-2 on their road trip while Bryant has attended court hearings in Colorado, recovered from the lacerated finger, healed a sprained shoulder and battled a stomach virus. He has played in just two of the past 15 games, so whatever he is lacking physically, he is eager to redirect his energy into basketball, his self-described sanctuary from personal turmoil. "I think playing is a cathartic exercise basically for him," Jackson said. "He has an opportunity to express himself in a different way, so we like to have that opportunity for him to play." The Lakers won't play again until Tuesday, so Jackson also wouldn't mind if Bryant took a few more days to regain his conditioning. "We've played pretty well," Jackson said. "His replacement (Kareem Rush) is playing really well." Ambivalence: Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal will be the headliners on their home court Sunday, a boon for TNT and the NBA, but not necessarily a benefit to the Lakers' pursuit of a top playoff seed. "I'm supposed to say I always want my players to play in the All-Star Game, because it's great for the club and the organization and for the NBA," Jackson said. "But of course, you don't want them to play. You have a game that can possibly take something out of them, get them hurt or whatever." Tough guy: USA Today named O'Neal the ninth toughest athlete among active sports stars, which put him just ahead of jockey Julie Krone and behind eight as-yet unnamed brutes. O'Neal said that's "probably" about right. "Keep in mind, I'm not allowed to be tough," he said. "I'm tamed." Asked by the newspaper to name the toughest players in the NBA, O'Neal listed two teammates -- Gary Payton and Karl Malone -- and Philadelphia's Allen Iverson. Also: The Jud Buechler comparison didn't sound like a compliment when O'Neal said it, but Luke Walton smiled anyway. "I love Jud," he said. The two share an alma mater, Arizona, are both San Diego natives and have worked out together. Tickets are still available for Thursday night's MDA All-Star dinner honoring Jackson as sportsman of the year. For information, call 310-450-9032. http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~29583~1948381,00.html
ok, Cato, this is where your technicals are actually supposed to do something...only Ts for hard hits, no more "hanging on the rim too long" Ts
February 11, 2004 LA TIMES: LAKER REPORT -Bryant May Play Tonight- MIAMI — Kobe Bryant told Coach Phil Jackson on Tuesday that he hoped to play tonight in Houston, the Lakers' final game before Sunday's All-Star game. Since Jan. 12, the night he bruised his shoulder against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bryant has played two games — 67 minutes over a month. He sat out his seventh consecutive game Tuesday because of the finger he cut, in an accident in his garage. Tuesday afternoon, though, he wore out the local ball boys, betting his shoes against their conditioning on half-court, left-handed jump shots. One kid ran laps. Another ran stairs. Turned out, he gave them shoes anyway. "Man," Bryant said afterward, laughing, "I'm killing those kids." He dribbled with both hands, shot only with his left. But apparently, he felt there was improvement in his finger, a day after having up to 15 stitches removed. "He says he'll play," Jackson said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Given Bryant's injuries — the Lakers remain more concerned with his shoulder than the finger — Jackson said, "There's ample reason for him not to even play in the All-Star game, if he wanted to sit it out." The leading vote-getter in the Western Conference and touched by the sentiment during a period in which he's fighting rape allegations, Bryant presumably would like to participate. "I think the finger will be sufficiently healed by that time," Jackson said. "The shoulder, I'm sure, is still going to bother him some. His game, maybe he'll get some rust out of it and he'll be able to play better on Tuesday." The Lakers resume their season Tuesday against the Portland Trail Blazers. Asked if he preferred Bryant not play over the weekend, Jackson said, " … of course, you don't want [players] to play in a game that could possibly get them hurt or whatever. Last year, Yao Ming probably played, what, 15 minutes in the ballgame and [Shaquille O'Neal] played a ton of minutes in a situation he wasn't in the best of health. It hurt him coming back out of the All-Star game." http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lakerep11feb11,1,7859643.story?coll=la-headlines-sports
so, is this good -- or bad for the Rox tonite? I guess we'll see. Or -- is this KoBe auditioning for a prime time role with the '04 - '05 JVG/Yao Houston Rockets team???
