Kobe Bryant was scratched from tonight's preseason contest against the Portland Trailblazers due to what's being called a shoulder strain officially, but really just seems to be some shoulder soreness he experienced in yesterday's practice. Kobe would probably laugh at the mere thought of missing an actual game with such an ailment, but there's no point in playing through pain of any kind for a meaningless exhibition contest, no matter how much we might want to see Kobe and Steve Nash do some dancing together.

Nash is still a go, as is Pau Gasol, but neither is likely to play for very long. Add in the injury to Jordan Hill which is expected to keep him out a couple weeks, and the fact that Dwight Howard has not been cleared for tonight's contest, and the Lakers are left with quite the short-handed squad. Considering how the last preseason game went when Mike Brown looked to the bench (and beyond), and it seems likely that the Lakers will once again get destroyed on the scoreboard. Good thing everybody knows the preseason is just for a good time, right?

Right?