Bryant did not travel with Lakers, will not play vs. Suns
Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers did not travel with the team and will not play in Monday's game against the Phoenix Suns.
Bryant flirted with a triple-double in Sunday's home win over the Detroit Pistons, finishing with 17 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds in 36 minutes. Afterwards, he told reporters his back and knees were giving him trouble.
Kobe says his back + knees are bugging him: "I'm not looking forward to waking to the car. Seriously." He won't travel with the team to PHX
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) November 16, 2015
It comes as little surprise that Bryant would sit on one end of a back-to-back, and coach Byron Scott alluded to as much Sunday. As a result, the 37-year-old will skip the short flight to the desert and remain in LA.
After Monday, the Lakers are off until Friday, when they host the Toronto Raptors. Their next back-to-back is Nov. 28-29.