Lakers Limiting Kobe Bryant’s Minutes to Start Season

Hope you’re ready to carry the load, Pau Gasol. Because Phil says Kobe won’t be ready to go full tilt once the season kicks off. The LA Times reports: “Kobe Bryant’s minutes will be monitored closely at the start of the regular season, Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said Wednesday, another sign that Bryant still hasn’t fully recovered from off-season knee surgery. Bryant is shooting a woeful 27.3% and averaging 11 points in six exhibition games. He had surgery last July. ‘I don’t anticipate he’s going to be playing heavy-minutes games to start the season,’ Jackson said without specifying how many minutes he might play. ‘We’ll have to find a pattern out there so he has the greatest influence in the amount of minutes he can’ play. Bryant probably will not play Thursday against Golden State but will probably play in the Lakers’ exhibition-season finale Friday against the Warriors, Jackson said. The regular season begins Tuesday against Houston.”