Kobe Bryant to sit out Lakers’ game against Thunder because of sore shoulder

Kobe Bryant will not play in Saturday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of a sore right shoulder, the team announced about 90 minutes before tipoff.

It was the same shoulder in which Bryant sustained a torn rotator cuff last January, an injury that came after a dunk and ended his 2014-15 season.

Bryant dunked for the first time this season two days ago, an impressive move in which he got past Houston forward Trevor Ariza and beat power forward Clint Capela above the rim.

It was not clear if the dunk caused the latest soreness, Lakers Coach Byron Scott said.

“Anybody that saw the dunk [and] a couple days later it’s a little sore, you probably would put those two together. But I want to wait to see what the doctor says after he has a look at it and then we’ll just go from there,” Scott said.

It was not immediately known when Bryant would have his shoulder examined. The Lakers’ next game is not until Tuesday at Denver.

Bryant was off to a numbingly poor start this season but has played better recently, averaging 23 points on 53% accuracy in his last three games.

He sat out three other games last month before announcing his retirement three weeks ago and declaring he’d like to play every game in his final season. Two of the missed games were because of a sore back and one was so he could rest.

Anthony Brown, a seldom-used rookie, will start in Bryant’s place against Oklahoma City All-Star Kevin Durant.

“I just don’t want [Brown] to ask for his autograph,” Scott quipped.