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Kobe Bryant will play tonight at Golden State

Lakers forward Kobe Bryant looks toward the scoreboard during a game against Oklahoma City on Jan. 8.

Lakers forward Kobe Bryant looks toward the scoreboard during a game against Oklahoma City on Jan. 8.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant will play tonight against the Golden State Warriors after leaving Tuesday’s game because of a sore right Achilles’ tendon.

“I think the fans deserve that effort from me,” Bryant said two hours before tipoff at Oracle Arena, adding that there was no pain while walking but soreness when ratcheting up his activity level.

Lakers trainer Gary Vitti wants him to sit out an entire week or two, according to Coach Byron Scott, but Bryant won’t be doing that.

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“It’s hard for me to say, ‘OK, I’m going to shut it down for two weeks,’ ” Bryant said.

Bryant said, however, he would continue to measure the pain in his Achilles’ and did not rule out sitting at some point. The Lakers’ next game is Saturday in Utah.

Bryant has not missed a “final stop” game since announcing his retirement. He has missed only one road game since then, but it was at Oklahoma City last month, where the Lakers play again in April.

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Bryant first felt pain in the Achilles’ last Friday against the Thunder at Staples Center. It wasn’t expected to be a big deal, though it drove Bryant from Tuesday’s game in the second quarter.

It is not the same Achilles’ that Bryant tore toward the end of the 2012-13 season.

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