MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -The Los Angeles Lakers gave Kobe Bryant the night off for the second game in a row to allow him to rest his legs and aching right index finger.
Bryant was scratched against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, one night after he did not play in a loss at Denver.
The Lakers need only one victory or a Nuggets loss in the final five games to lock up the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Bryant’s aching finger contributed to 13 of 47 shooting in his previous two games, so coach Phil Jackson has chosen to rest him to get ready for the playoffs.
Jackson says he is not ready to say if Bryant will play against Portland on Sunday.
Bryant is averaging 27.1 points this season.
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