Bryant sat 2 games to rest legs

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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Kobe Bryant, the Lakers' self-proclaimed Bruce Willis, who detests missing games even more than he does missing shots, wants to return to the lineup Sunday at home against Portland after sitting out the last two games to rest his legs and alleviate swelling in his right knee.

Bryant

"He's anticipating [playing]," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said after his team's practice Saturday. Bryant, who treated Saturday's practice like a typical off day by icing his knees and not participating in any full-court drills, did get in some light shooting, however.

Jackson did not want to set any playing-time limitations on Bryant going into the game.

"It depends on how he feels," Jackson said. "He may be very live tomorrow and feel great. We'll see how he plays. He obviously wanted to compete, so we'll see how he plays."

Jackson said Bryant informed him he planned to play on the trip back from Minnesota to L.A. on Friday night.

"We talked about it on the plane last night and [Bryant] said "I have every intention of playing, I just hope it progresses as well as its going,'" Jackson said.

Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com

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Dave McMenamin

ESPNLosAngeles.com

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Dave McMenamin spent five seasons as a staff writer for NBA.com in New York and Los Angeles before joining ESPNLosAngeles.com to cover the Lakers and the NBA.