Lakers’ Kobe Bryant plans to start running on Tuesday

Kobe Bryant, right, has been nursing a bruised lower left leg in the last five days and Lakers coach HYPERLINK "http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20151005/lakers-byron-scott-defends-conditioning-heavy-practices"Byron Scott conceded he may shut his star player down for the rest of preseason play. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Kobe Bryant, right, has been nursing a bruised lower left leg in the last five days and Lakers coach HYPERLINK “http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20151005/lakers-byron-scott-defends-conditioning-heavy-practices”Byron Scott conceded he may shut his star player down for the rest of preseason play. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Lakers guards Kobe Bryant and Lou Williams will miss Monday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center because of soreness in their respective left leg and groin. But Lakers coach Byron Scott reiterated there is “no reason at all” to have any concern on if either can play for the season opener against Minnesota on Oct. 28.

Scott said that Bryant could begin running as early as Tuesday after missing the past two exhibitions and four practices. Bryant suffered a bruise in his lower left leg in the Lakers’ preseason loss last Tuesday against Sacramento in Las Vegas. Scott originally predicted Bryant would play against the Warriors on Saturday in San Diego.

“It’s just more sore than we expected,” Scott said. “He has some swelling in there. We had to get the swelling out and all that and now we have to him get him back on the floor running and things like that. It took a little longer than we expected, but no complications whatsoever.”

That means Bryant could still play for the Lakers’ preseason finale on Thursday against Golden State in Anaheim. But with Bryant playing only 41 combined games in the last two years because of season-ending injuries to his left Achilles and right shoulder, the Lakers will exercise more caution.

“There’s no need to have them play with nagging injuries, especially when we have a chance to get them completely healthy,” Scott said.

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