The Los Angeles Lakers (2-10) host the Portland Trail Blazers (5-9) at Staples Center on Sunday evening, and Kobe Bryant expects to start per Lakers coach Byron Scott on Sunday morning. However, Bryant's minutes have been a major source of debate, so NBCLA.com asked Lakers coach Byron Scott to expand on how he can taper of Bryant's ever-increasing work load.
Since asking for a change in rotations to avoid sitting for prolonged stretches and stiffening up, Scott has started playing Bryant to start the fourth quarter before theoretically taking out the 37-year-old for a rest and bringing back the "Black Mamba" to close out games.
Only, the Lakers have been in competitive games the last time two times Bryant has been playing, and Scott has effectively ditched the substitution pattern and left his superstar in the game.
"It's hard. It really is because I know when (Bryant)'s out there, it's the best chance that we have to win," Scott said on Sunday morning. "But I also know that I've got to give him rest. I fought myself the last two games about keeping him in because we had opportunities to win—our last two home games."
Scott, though, lost that fight the last two times out, as Bryant played 36 minutes against the Detroit Pistons and 37 minutes against the Toronto Raptors. The Lakers beat the Pistons and fell short against the Raptors.
Scott continued, "I really got to fight myself on that. I don't want to get to the point where now we have 70 games left in the season and with 20 games left, he's worn out—that I've basically worn him out."
Scott added, "I thought about that yesterday and I was like, 'B, you got to stick to your guns.' There's going to be some times with the schedule allowing, like this week--like Tuesday would be one of those night that he could play 35, 36, 37 minutes. We don't play again until Saturday. So, schedule permitting, there are days where I will do that."
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However, the coach's plan for Sunday night against Portland does not call for Bryant to play 36 or 37 minutes. Instead, expect Bryant to hover around 32 or 33 minutes, instead.
Scott said, "Talking about tonight and talking about Tuesday, if you want him to be able to play both games and be effective, I got to put the minutes back down."
Notes: Julius Randle (big toe) went through shootaround and Scott expects the 20-year-old to play on Sunday night.
