The Los Angeles Lakers play the Denver Nuggets tonight at 7:30, and they may be doing so without their star Kobe Bryant.
Bryant missed the shoot-around this morning because he was suffering from intestinal flu-like symptoms.
Lakers Coach Mike Brown said that he expects Kobe to suit up, flu or no flu.
“If I were a betting guy, which I’m not, I would probably bet that he would play.”
The Lakers currently lead the series 3-2 but the Nuggets have momentum. The Nuggets won game 5, despite Bryant’s 43 point effort, and will have the help of their fans tonight during game 6.
Lakers publicist John Black said that the Lakers would give an “update on his condition 90 minutes before tip-off.”
Scott Howard-Cooper, a writer for NBA.com, wrote:
“Lakers say they’ll have another update tonight. Knowing Kobe, he plays without stomach lining. Or a stomach. But impossible to know severity.”
Bryant has been averaging over 31 points during the first round of the NBA playoffs with a 42.9 shooting percentage. If Kobe doesn’t play tonight, Matt Barnes or Steve Blake will join the starting lineup.
If he does play, we could see something like this.
Do you think Kobe Bryant will play against the Denver Nuggets tonight?