The injury problems in the backcourt continue to get progressively worse for the Los Angeles Lakers. All three point guards on the roster are now injured and out for a considerable amount of time.
With Steve Blake going down with an elbow injury and both Steve Nash and Jordan Farmar battling their own injuries, head coach Mike D’Antoni has been put in a tough spot with no healthy point guards left on the roster. As a result, Kobe Bryant will start at point guard moving forward, according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters via Twitter:
D’Antoni says Kobe and Meeks will be at the 1 & 2 tomorrow.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) December 12, 2013
During his first two games back after an eight-month absence, Bryant has taken more of a pass-first approach while trying to build chemistry with the many new faces on this Lakers squad. Although Bryant committed eight turnovers in his debut against the Toronto Raptors, the five-time NBA champion corrected some of his mistakes in his second game back against the Phoenix Suns.
Bryant scored 20 points against the Suns while committing three turnovers. There’s no question that the superstar guard is still very rusty and might be for quite some time, but if any player can make the transition to another position and play well in the process, it’s Bryant.
The Lakers will head on the road on Thursday night, making their way to Chesapeake Energy Arena to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. The game against the Thunder will be the first of four-game road trip. The Lakers will also play the Charlotte Bobcats, Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies before heading back to Staples Center to take on Kevin Love’s Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 20.
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VIDEO: Mike D’Antoni On Kobe Bryant And Jodie Meeks In The Back Court Moving Forward
