Kobe Bryant did not play against the Atlanta Hawks last night, deciding to sit and rest his sprained ankle suffered Monday night against the Pacers.
Bryant did not return that night, but he did play Wednesday against the New Orleans Hornets , operating by his own admission at 50% efficiency and scoring 24 points.
That efficiency level dropped even more late in the game when the ankle stiffened. And by Thursday, the swelling had increased.
Still, Bryant came to Staples Center with an open mind Friday night.
"We made the final decision not to play about 20 minutes before game time," Bryant said. "[Trainer] Gary Vitti tried everything as far as taping up my ankle to the reduce the pain, but we couldn't do it."
