On Thursday, Kobe Bryant sat out practice due to foot soreness. While some may have thought it was a setback, Bryant was seen walking to his car after practice without any limp.
After Friday night’s victory against the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers had a light practice in preparation for the Sacramento Kings. Bryant returned to the court and participated in non-contact running and shooting drills before receiving treatment.
While the five-time champion has said that he can see himself playing by the end of November, head coach Mike D’Antoni isn’t as optimistic according to LA Times’ Mike Bresnahan:
D’Antoni: It would be “very hard” for Kobe to play on next week’s three-game road trip. Games are at Wash, BKN + DET.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) November 23, 2013
D’Antoni’s reasoning comes from the fact that the Lakers won’t be able to practice until December 3 due to the upcoming road trip that begins in Washington and ends in Detroit. While Bryant began practicing the day after D’Antoni said he would be a couple weeks away, he will likely need more practice time with the team.
Bryant hasn’t needed a couple practices before returning from his injuries in the past, he’ll likely need some more time to get comfortable with his Achilles and find his rhythm.
Although the Lakers have the third toughest schedule to start the season, a win against the Kings will put them back at the .500 mark. If they are able to win at least one game on the road, it’ll be considered a successful start with the return of Bryant near.
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