Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said the status of All-Star guard Kobe Bryant will be a game-time decision for the Lakers’ game against Orlando Monday.
Bryant sustained a sprained left ankle in the Lakers’ victory Saturday night at Dallas. He played through the injury, but reported that the swelling on the outside of his ankle was the size of a baseball Sunday night.
“I thought I was done, like done,” Bryant told reporters after the Dallas game,. “I was just praying that when I stood up my foot was lined up straight. … That scared the s— out of me. I thought I dislocated it.
“We were all pretty scared … to be honest with you because it looked horrible and it felt worse.”
Bryant is averaging a team-high 25 points along with 4.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds for the Lakers. He has played and started in all 67 of his team’s games this year.
Jackson told ESPN Los Angeles that Bryant’s rapid recovery from what the 15-year veteran dubbed the “scariest” ankle sprain of his career was the result of.
“He’s probably stretched all the ligaments and tendons out in his ankle so he doesn’t have a whole lot of tearing going on,” Jackson said. “Otherwise, it would be difficult.”
If Bryant is unable to play, Shannon Brown will start against the Magic.