Predictable news is predictable, but now the Los Angeles Lakers have official confirmation: Kobe Bryant will be active and starting tonight in game six against the Denver Nuggets. Bryant is battling a bad case of the stomach flu and has been sick all day, but he will play without any restrictions tonight, according to this report from NBC Sports.
"Obviously we'll watch it the best we can, but (Lakers trainer) Gary Vitti said there isn't a minutes restriction or anything like that," Lakers coach Mike Brown said before the game.
Kobe could keep down fluids and was going to get an IV before the game.
With Bryant not feeling well and the Nuggets looking to push the ball every chance they can, you can bet the Lakers will look to pound the ball inside to their star post players in Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. It also seems likely that Bryant will take much fewer shots than normal -- he took 30+ in game five! -- meaning guys like Ramon Sessions and Matt Barnes will need to step up if Los Angeles hopes to end this series tonight.
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Update: TNT says Kobe threw up, Kevin Ding tweets that he did not. So there's that.