Lakers get back to work

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After taking Thursday off in New York, the Lakers went back to work today in preparation for Saturday night’s game against the New Jersey Nets.

The Lakers, coming off a last-second overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, had a good, spirited practice Friday.

Kobe Bryant, who has been playing with a fractured right index finger, didn’t practice.

But Bryant said the finger isn’t much of an issue anymore since he has adjusted to the splint on it.

Bryant has averaged 40.5 points on 51.8% shooting in his last two games.

Even though the Nets have the worst record in the NBA at 2-24, the Lakers said they won’t take New Jersey for granted. The Nets play at Toronto tonight, meaning that New Jersey was playing in back-to-back games before facing a Lakers team that had two days off.

-- Broderick Turner