Though the Los Angeles Lakers picked up their ninth win of the season against the New Orleans Pelicans, there was more reason to be somber as Kobe Bryant could not finish the game.
Bryant has been dealing with a strained Achilles and tried to give it a go last night, but was unable to stay on the court, exiting in the second quarter.
With the injury being one that can linger for a while, trainer Gary Vitti has discussed the possibility of shutting Kobe down for a little while according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:
Byron said Lakers trainer Gary Vitti had talked about shutting Kobe down for a bit. But it's unclear if that will happen.
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 13, 2016
Medina also notes that Byron Scott seems to be in favor of such a move, but will have to discuss it further:
Byron sounds in favor of Vitti'a suggestion of shutting Kobe down 1-2 weeks. But Byron plans to talk to Kobe, Gary and Mitch
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 13, 2016
The Lakers and Kobe have always maintained that they want him to make it through the season healthy. For that to happen, it may be best to give Kobe some time off so that he can rest up.
Having Kobe sit out for a while would also allow the team’s young players to take a larger role that could help their development this season. It would mean that some fans would miss their opportunity to see Kobe one last time, but for the larger picture, sitting him is probably best for all parties.