Kobe Bryant is currently in unfamiliar territory with the superstar needing to have his minutes restricted in order to remain fresh during his 19th NBA season. It has been a difficult transition for arguably one of the toughest players in league history, but he’s been open to the change.
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Before taking on the Miami Heat on Tuesday, head coach Byron Scott talked about Kobe’s new minute restriction. Scott will limited Kobe to 32 minutes per game with no exceptions, including games that go into overtime, via Mike Bresnahan of the L.A. Times:
If Kobe is already at 32 mins and Lakers go to overtime, what happens? "He won't play overtime." Scott said. That could get…interesting
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) January 14, 2015
Scott giving Kobe a strict minute limitation is an interesting development. Basically, Bryant won’t be playing in overtime situations anymore unless he hasn’t played more than 32 minutes in regulation.
The real question moving forward is whether Scott will stick to this new minute restriction. An overtime situation is bound to happen at some point with Bryant needed on the floor and the five-time NBA champion wanting to get in the game.
Fortunately, Kobe has been receptive to the minute restrictions and even missing games in order to keep his body as fresh as can be. A difficult realization for the superstar, but he’s adjusting accordingly.
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