The Lakers will continue to play without their top player for as long as another month.
Lakers star guard Kobe Bryant will be out for another 2-4 weeks with his fractured lateral tibial plateau, according to Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding. Despite claiming that he would like return before the All-Star Game, Bryant is set to miss extra time with the injury that he suffered on Dec. 19.
NBA Power Rankings
The Pacers' reign on top of the power rankings is over for now, with Kevin Durant and the streaking Thunder grabbing the No. 1 spot.Bryant was supposed to miss just six weeks but the extra time puts him way past the original return date of Jan. 30. He said to be so much discomfort that an MRI will not even be taken by team doctors. Bryant believes he will be re-evaluated in February, per Ding. The All-Star Game is two weeks away and Bryant is not guarunteed to be ready for the annual showcase. He has already mentioned giving up his starting spot to someone more deserving, according to ESPN Los Angeles.
Bryant has only played in six games this season. He is only averaging 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. The Lakers are currently 16-29 on the season.
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