Lakers' Scott unsure when Kobe will return to action

Kobe Bryant was not in the lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night when the Utah Jazz paid a visit to the Staples Center. The 37-year-old guard was sidelined with a strained right Achilles that he suffered during the fourth quarter of the Lakers' 117-113 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

So when will "The Black Mamba" return to action? Your guess is as good as that of Lakers head coach Byron Scott's.

"I have no idea," Scott said prior to Sunday's game, according to ESPN's Baxter Holmes. "I think (Lakers longtime trainer) Gary (Vitti) has to get his hands on him and see where he is now with it, then we have to go from there."

Bryant missing an extended period of time would likely be hugely demoralizing to not only the Lakers and their fans, but for many basketball fans as a whole. The 17-time All-Star revealed in a piece for the Player's Tribune back in November that he plans on retiring following this season, his 20th in the league.

Sunday was the eighth game Bryant has missed this season due to injury, having just returned from a three-game absence while dealing with a sore right shoulder before his Achilles injury flared up against Oklahoma City.

The five-time NBA champion competed in a combined 41 games over the past two seasons after suffering major injuries to his Achilles, shoulder, and knees. He's currently averaging 17.6 points on 35 percent shooting for the 8-30 Lakers, while holding a commanding lead as the top vote-getter for the 2016 All-Star Game in Toronto.