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Tuesday, March 13, 2001
Lakers not sure when Bryant will play



LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, the NBA's second-leading scorer, missed Tuesday night's game against the Boston Celtics due to a viral infection.

Kobe Bryant
Bryant

Lakers spokesman John Black said he didn't know if Bryant, averaging 29.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists, would join the team Wednesday morning for its flight to Detroit, where it begins a five-game road trip Thursday night.

"I can't answer that now," Black said. "It depends on how he feels in the morning.

Bryant took intravenous fluids after playing 44 minutes and scoring 38 points in a 93-89 overtime loss to San Antonio on Friday night, didn't practice Saturday, and missed Sunday night's 109-97 overtime loss to Seattle.

Bryant missed three games last month due to a sprained ankle, and the defending NBA champion Lakers won all three.

The Celtics entered Tuesday night's game having lost five straight road games and eight of 11 games overall. They had lost six of their last eight games to the Lakers.

The Lakers had only 10 players in uniform because Isaiah Rider was suspended for five games last week for failing to comply with the NBA's drug policy.

One of the 10 was Derek Fisher, activated from the injured list before the game. Fisher underwent surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot Sept. 20 and missed the season's first 62 games.

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