Kobe Bryant Plays, Lakers Beat Pacers
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Bruce Bennett/Getty Images(INDIANAPOLIS) — Despite a severe sprained ankle, Kobe Bryant played on Friday night against the Pacers. The Lakers played motivated by Bryant’s will to want to play and beat the Pacers (40-25) 99-93.
Bryant played 12 minutes and did not score a point, but spent most of his time on the bench in the second half drawing up plays for Dwight Howard.
Howard scored 20 points and pulled in 12 rebounds and Metta World Peace added 19 points with seven rebounds in the victory.
“It really just continued to swell and I couldn’t put any weight on it, so I called it a night,” said Bryant, who hasn’t missed a game since the 2009-10 season. “I told them before the game, `I don’t know how much I have, but whatever I have, I’ll give you.”
Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni said Pau Gasol could be on his way back in the next few days. Gasol has been sidelined since early February after tearing the plantar fascia in his right foot.
The Lakers will take on the Kings in Sacramento on Sunday night.
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