The speculation surrounding Kobe Bryant’s return to the floor for the Los Angeles Lakers continues with still no word on if the five-time NBA champion will play against the Sacramento Kings on Friday.
With Bryant ramping up his participation during practice and seemingly ready to return, the superstar getting back on the floor against the Kings seems highly likely. Although Bryant’s return may be imminent, head coach Mike D’Antoni is not ready to announce his return and will wait until Friday according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters via Twitter:
When will we know if Kobe’s playing Friday Vs. SAC? D’Antoni says we prob won’t know till Friday.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) December 4, 2013
All signs indicate that even if Bryant isn’t able to return on Friday that he will be back sooner rather than later. After the game against the Kings on Friday, the Lakers will head back to Los Angeles to face the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center on Sunday night.
Although many are looking for symbolism in Bryant’s return date, the fact of the matter is that the 35-year-old simply wants to get back on the floor as soon as possible. Despite the fact that the game against the Raptors wouldn’t be as symbolic as against the Miami Heat on Christmas Day or against Dwight Howard’s Houston Rockets further down the road, Bryant might feel comfortable returning against the team that he lit up for a career-high 81 points back in 2006.
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