It's an early one tonight, kids. Jump time is 5:00 p.m. Pacific. I've barely had time this afternoon to eat my Honeycomb and read Ziggy, let alone prepare for hoops.
Word from the Lakers is that Kobe Bryant's stomach illness is gone. The avulsion fracture, of course, persists. He'll play through the pain tonight and got in some extra shooting practice at the United Center earlier today.
Drinking-game triggers are any mention of:
- Vinny Del Negro as "beleaguered."
- Taj Gibson having played at USC.
- The aborted Kobe-to-Chicago trade in 2007.
- Phil Jackson having once coached the Bulls.
- The Joakim Noah-LeBron scrape.
And take a big slug of your beverage of choice upon any Kobe-Michael Jordan comparison of any kind.