Cooper Misses Practice, but Lakers Say He Will Play Friday

Michael Cooper, the Lakers’ veteran reserve guard, missed his second consecutive practice Wednesday with a hyper-extended right knee.

Cooper, who wrenched the inside of his knee in a collision with the Portland Trail Blazers’ Byron Irvin on Sunday, was examined Wednesday by team physician Stephen Lombardo.

Tests showed nothing worse than the hyper-extension. Laker trainer Gary Vitti said Cooper is expected to play Friday night in the Lakers’ first-round playoff series opener against the Houston Rockets.

“(The knee) got a little bit sore and swollen (Tuesday) and it was about half as swollen today and had some tenderness,” Vitti said. “Hopefully, he’ll be able to practice (today) and play Friday. We had a couple of days here and, in the long run, he’ll be better off for the rest.” Cooper, one of the Lakers’ best defensive players, averaged six points and shot 33% in four games against Houston this season.