March 06--Both Kobe Bryant (sore right shoulder) and Jordan Clarkson (strained tendon in left knee) will play today when the Lakers host defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors at Staples Center.
Bryant had taken six days off to rest his shoulder when he initially felt the soreness. He played at Denver on Wednesday night, but sat out the second half because there was too much pain in his shoulder. He didn't play Friday night against Atlanta and didn't play practice Sunday.
But this will be his last time playing against the Warriors and NBA superstar Stephen Curry, and the game is nationally televised.
Lakers Coach Byron Scott said Bryant said his shoulder was "still hurting a little bit" when the two talked Saturday night. But Bryant got to Staples Center early Sunday and got up some shots.
"To be honest with you, I told him, 'Listen. If you're good, you're good. If you're not, don't force it,'" Scott said he told Bryant on Saturday night. "That was just my feelings. He said, 'I'll just come in and shoot and I'll tell you how it feels.' He texted me early this morning and said he was on his way in to get shots up.
"Ironically when I was coming in, we kind of ran right into each other and talked. He said he was good to go."
Clarkson practiced during the Lakers' shoot-around Friday, but was held out of Friday night's game against the Hawks.
He practiced Saturday and was given the clearance to play against the Warriors.
Follow Broderick Turner on Twitter @BA_Turner
