Eye Injury Makes Bryant Questionable

The Lakers, already without Shaquille O’Neal for their annual four-team tournament at the Forum, will find out today whether an eye injury will also sideline Kobe Bryant for at least tonight’s game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Bryant left in the third quarter of Wednesday’s victory over Washington after being poked in the right eye and did not return. He wore a patch during the flight home from Las Vegas and was examined by an eye specialist, Dr. Nicholas Mardesich, Thursday in Los Angeles.

A slight scratch and hemorrhage was found. It was then determined his availability would be a game-day decision.

The Wizards and Seattle SuperSonics play at 5 p.m., with the Lakers and Hawks to follow in a scheduled 8 p.m. start. Saturday, the winners play each other and the losers play each other, with the Lakers in the 8 p.m. game no matter what.

The Wizards--the former Bullets--know all about playing with disjointed lineups. Juwan Howard and Gheorghe Muresan are sidelined tonight after sitting out each of the previous five exhibition games because of a sprained right ankle and stretched tendon in the right ankle, respectively. Another starter, Rod Strickland, is expected to sit out his second game in a row because of a sore left hamstring.

These are the final two exhibition games for the Lakers (4-2). They will remain in Los Angeles for the remainder of camp, before opening the regular season next Friday against the Utah Jazz at the Forum.