Kobe Bryant out for 4th straight game

Los Angeles: NBA scoring leader Kobe Bryant will sit out his fourth consecutive game to rest his bruised shin.

Coach Mike Brown said after shootaround that the Los Angeles Lakers` superstar guard will miss Friday`s home game against the Denver Nuggets. Bryant hasn`t played since scoring 28 points in a loss to Houston on April 6. He sat out the Lakers` three-game road trip over the past week. Bryant is closing in on his third NBA scoring title, averaging 28.1 points while playing in each of the Lakers` first 56 games. Oklahoma City`s Kevin Durant, who won the NBA`s last two scoring titles, is second with 27.5 points per game. Los Angeles is 2-1 in Bryant`s absence, beating San Antonio on Wednesday. The Lakers (37-22) lead the Pacific Division by one game. Bureau Report