LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant will miss at least five games with a severely sprained right ankle, but the Los Angeles Lakers said won't know exactly how long he'll be out for another 72 hours.
Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich said Bryant, hurt in the first quarter of Thursday night's game against Cleveland, would be placed on the injured list and replaced on the roster by rookie guard Tony Bobbitt before tonight's game at Golden State.
An MRI exam Friday confirmed Bryant has a severely sprained ankle. The Lakers said he'll be re-evaluated Monday, and an estimate on how long he'll be sidelined will be given at that time.
Bryant is the NBA's second-leading scorer with a 27.5-point average. He was injured when he landed on Ira Newble's right foot while going for a rebound under the Cavaliers' basket.
"We will miss him greatly, but this is an opportunity to grow as a team," Tomjanovich said before the Lakers flew to Oakland for their game against the Warriors.
"It puts a way bigger burden on me. We know Lamar (Odom) will get more plays, but I've got to call these things for other guys and get people in the right positions, because Kobe was in those positions and he carried a lot of the load."
Odom scored 24 points to equal a season-high in the Lakers' 98-94 victory over the Cavaliers. Los Angeles is now at 19-15.
Regarding Bryant's injury, Tomjanovich said: "It happens all the time in this league. You ever play poker? You take the hand you're dealt and you play with it. You don't worry about what if I've gotten this or what if I've gotten that."
X-rays taken shortly after Bryant was injured were normal, but after the game he said he knew the injury was serious.
"This one might be weeks - it doesn't feel like a day-to-day thing," Bryant said late Thursday. "It hurts, it hurts a lot."
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