Bryant Learning About Patience

As best Kobe Bryant can recall, the last time he was held out of a game on a coach’s decision was sixth grade. Must have been an 11th-grade league.

But now it has happened twice in the last three games as a Laker, a trend that may continue as Coach Del Harris tries to avoid letting the mistake-prone rookie cut his teeth with the outcome still in doubt, though rarely is anything a constant in Harris’ rotation. So Bryant sat Tuesday against Seattle and Friday versus Orlando and played 13 minutes Wednesday at Utah--entering only after the Jazz had a 26-point lead late in the third quarter.

“I just have to be real patient,” said Bryant, who has three times as many turnovers as assists. “Just keep working on my game. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

He has talked with Harris and General Manager Mitch Kupchak, among others, and both encouraged him not to get discouraged. Bryant, as always, refuses to concede anything beyond the slightest negative emotion, admitting only that it’s disappointing but insisting at the same time he isn’t getting down.