Lakers Vs. Raptors: Kobe's Back

Kobe Bryant returns to the starting lineup against the Toronto Raptors after missing three of the past five Los Angeles Lakers' games

Friday is a game day in LA.

The Los Angeles Lakers return to the court with Kobe Bryant playing a home game at Staples Center. Savor these moments because Bryant and the Lakers, as bad as they may be at 2-9, only play three home games over the next three and a half weeks.

On Friday, the Toronto Raptors arrive at the house that Bryant built on a three-game losing streak and with six losses in their last eight games. The Lakers have won two of their last seven games, so that should provide insight into the Raptors’ steep slide after starting the season 5-0.

Bryant's involvement on Friday provides the purple and gold a proper chance at claiming a victory. In his last game, the 19-year veteran nearly registered a triple-double with 17 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for a rare Lakers' victory. After playing 36 minutes, the 37-year-old shared that his back and legs were bothering him.

Bryant talked about having trouble standing and said without the slightest bit of sarcasm, "I'm not looking forward to walking to the car right now. Seriously."

Two days off followed by a couple of days of shooting in the gym, and Bryant will start on Friday night. Expect him to play about 31 to 32 minutes unless Lakers coach Byron Scott gets careless with the minutes again. Surely, he'll be tempted at stages this season, but Bryant should truly never be eclipsing the 32-minute mark, and 36 minutes should only occur in overtime games, if then.

After playing late into the first quarter and coming back midway through the second quarter, Bryant complained of sitting for too long and getting stiff, likely related to the same back soreness that forced him to sit out of the games in Orlando and Miami.

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Bryant's substitution patterns changed after he spoke to Scott about getting in for quick bursts to keep him fluid, and the coach planned to play Bryant for the first and last four minutes of the second quarter.

These substation patterns repeat in the second half, as well, but with eight minutes to play in a close game and Bryant running the show to great effect, Scott will again inevitably struggle with the decision to take his star out or play him through the 12-minute wall for the chance at a win. That, however, is a headache for the future.

On Friday, Bryant and the Lakers play host to a couple guards that will challenge the Lakers' young starting backcourt of D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson from the opening tip. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry lead the Raptors by combining for 41.4 points, 10.8 assists and 9.1 rebounds per game, split about evenly with DeRozan averaging an extra point and Lowry averaging a couple extra assists.

Luckily for the Lakers, the Raptors do not feature an offensive rebounding terror, and no single Raptor averages 10 or more rebounds per game. Luis Scola, though, has been known to find a few offensive rebounds over the years, so he could have success against the Lakers' undersized second unit. Thus far, the Lakers have been awful at guarding the defensive glass and average allowing 12.7 offensive rebounds per game--ranks third-worst in the NBA.

Friday offers the Lakers a weary road team on a losing streak. In other words, Friday offers the Lakers a perfect opponent to claim back-to-back home victories. The Lakers, and their fans, could use another win.

The Lakers and Raptors tip-off at Staples Center at 7:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

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