Hip Injury Adds to Bryant’s Woes

Another day, another Kobe Bryant ailment, this time in his right hip.

Suffered against Charlotte on Friday, when P.J. Brown shoved him into the basket stanchion, Bryant’s injury robbed him of his hard cuts and leaping ability against Sacramento.

His shots were flatter--he made only eight of 26--and he was not nearly as darting to the rim. Bryant said the Kings did him a favor by having his man, Doug Christie, play in the middle of the offense, allowing him to float defensively.

“I feel pretty beat up right now,” Bryant said. “Well, not beat up, but just sore. My hip is really bothering me. The rest of my body is fine. My shoulder, my elbow and my hip really slowed me down today running, cutting and planting.”

The scorecard:

Right hip bursitis.

Left elbow bursitis.

Right shoulder soreness.

Right pinkie soreness.

Bryant will continue with treatment. What he thinks he needs is rest. He did not shoot at all Saturday; he couldn’t recall the last time he went an entire day without doing that.

The Lakers play again Wednesday against Phoenix and Bryant is expected to start in the All-Star game Sunday. He reiterated that he would not play if he believed it would hinder his health in the season’s second half, adding that he is not ready to make that decision. He could compromise by starting and playing a few minutes in the first and third quarters.

Laker Coach Phil Jackson said he would prefer that Bryant not attend, more of an indictment on the game itself than Bryant’s involvement.

“Every player I’ve ever had I’d rather have sit out the All-Star game,” Jackson said. “It’s a meaningless game. It’s tiring and it’s wearing on the players. It’s a nice showcase for our sponsors in the NBA. But as far as how it taxes the players, it takes its toll.”

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Amid the great commotion of the Laker season, Jackson has taken his hits for appearing content to merely stand alongside and watch it happen.

The fact is, Jackson said, he takes comfort in the standings, which, in the loss column, show the Lakers one game behind Portland and three behind Sacramento.

“None of the alarms are going off with us,” Jackson said. “We know it’s a different team and a different year and we have different circumstances. We’ve gotten to the point where we’re accepting who we are right now, where we are as a ballclub.”

And that is . . .

“We don’t have a consistent way of playing,” he said. “We’re a different ballclub than we were last year, defensively.”

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Derek Fisher, rehabilitating a stress fracture in his foot, said he would not predict a date for his return. He did, however, agree with team officials that early March was most likely. Fisher is scheduled to have a bone scan in about a week. . . . Jackson tweaked the offense a little to move Greg Foster to the high post, where he is more comfortable. Foster made six of eight shots, including a three-pointer. . . . The Lakers were outscored in the paint, 62-38, and on the fastbreak, 17-2.