Kobe Bryant to miss third consecutive game due to sore left shin

By Mike Bresnahan

April 10, 2012 12 AM PT

The sore left shin that has dogged Kobe Bryant the last two weeks continues to improve, but he will not play Wednesday against San Antonio.

Bryant, who was originally kicked in the shin March 31, will miss a third consecutive game, Lakers Coach Mike Brown told reporters Tuesday.

The Lakers are 1-1/2 games ahead of the Clippers and two ahead of the fast-charging Memphis Grizzlies for third place in the Western Conference.

The Lakers are 1-1 since Bryant started resting the shin, which is being affected by a condition called tenosynovitis. He has worn a walking boot the last several days and there is no timetable for his return.

Tenosynvitis is when a tendon sheath becomes inflamed, causing pain whenever the tendon slides in and out of the sheath. Bryant basically feels discomfort whenever he flexes his left foot.

He has not talked to reporters since Friday, though longtime Lakers trainer Gary Vitti called the condition “very painful.”

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Kobe Bryant to miss third consecutive game because of sore left shin