Kobe Bryant sat out the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game against the Suns.

Bryant sat out the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game against the Suns.

Analysis:

The game was completely out of hand by the fourth, so the move was merely to keep Bryant fresh, especially after back-to-back games. In 28 minutes, Bryant led the Lakers in scoring with 31 points (11-25 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 7-7 FT) and had four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Bryant is basically the only reliable offensive option for the Lakers at this point, so his shot volume should stay at about the same level going forward.