Crunch Time for Bryant

MINNEAPOLIS —  In the final minute Friday night, Kobe Bryant had his sprained right shoulder bumped from behind, ending his desire to get through consecutive games without incident.

He played 38 minutes, had 16 points and 11 rebounds, but shot erratically. With about 50 seconds remaining and the Lakers trailing the Minnesota Timberwolves by 10 points, Bryant chased a missed free throw and had his shoulder caught between Mark Madsen and Kevin Garnett.

Trainer Gary Vitti called it “a good crunch,” but Bryant said later it was fine, describing it as “a stinger” that caused his shoulder to go “dead for a minute.”

After fashioning a shirt for Bryant out of what he found in the gear bag Wednesday in Boston, Vitti had a Minneapolis-area company custom-fit and make a compression shirt in time for Friday night’s game.

WSI Manufacturing placed a pocket on Bryant’s right shoulder, where a pad could fit and protect Bryant from a direct blow.

Bryant said he believed he’d wear the pad for several weeks, though generally he recovers faster than expected.

“Just out there learning how to play with it a little more,” he said. “It’ll be OK. Missed a lot of easy shots.”

After starting one for 11, he made five of his last nine shots.

“He’s not the same, but he’s a competitor,” Karl Malone said. “You see him, he gets hesitant sometimes.... But I’ll take that any day, because he wants to be out there every day. In this business, some guys don’t want to be out there. So we’ll take that.”

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Officially, rookie Brian Cook went to the injured list because of back spasms. In reality, he was deactivated because of a glut of power forwards, with Malone and Horace Grant getting healthy on the same day and Slava Medvedenko recovering from the cold he’s had for more than a month.

Coach Phil Jackson said he’d consider experimenting with the 12th place on the roster over the final five weeks. For now, as he attempts to pull production out of his small forwards, Jackson chose to continue his evaluation of Bryon Russell and Devean George and shut down Cook.

“I’m at the bottom of the totem pole, man,” Cook said. “I’m a rookie.”

Cook, the Lakers’ first-round pick, has been on the injured list three times, the first two because of finger surgeries. On Friday, he sat in the locker room, listening to music, and pledged to keep his head in the season.

“Just take it like it is, keep working hard,” Cook said. “I’ve had worse happen. It ain’t the end of the world.”

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If Jackson is unable to find consistency at small forward, he said he’d go more often to a lineup with Bryant at that position and Kareem Rush at shooting guard.

“I’m concerned,” he said. “I keep trying different players.”

Rick Fox’s jump shot has recovered more slowly than his foot and George’s jumper and decision-making come and go. Russell could get more minutes as well.

At stake for Cook and Russell, in particular, is the final spot or two on the playoff roster.

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Jackson, explaining the process by which coaches challenge their fines: “Coaches can’t appeal. They roll over and take it....”

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General Manager Mitch Kupchak, on his annual scouting trip through Europe, was in Spain earlier in the week. He was gone at the time of the bombings and on Friday was in Lithuania. He is accompanied by assistant general manager Ronnie Lester and international scout Adam Filippi, who is based in Italy.

Grant, who sat out the last five games because of a sore hip, played 10 minutes.... Malone played without a brace on his right knee. He’ll probably practice with a light one.