Just days after Los Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott said that the team will start to limit star Kobe Bryant in practice to keep his legs fresh, the five-time NBA champion said he is changing up his routine to ward off fatigue.
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Bryant, who has had plenty of shots fall short thus far in the 2014-15 campaign, said he will be taking more ice baths, working out his lower-body more and will start doing close to nothing on non-game days to stay fresh throughout the season.
Bryant was held to just six games last season due to various lower-body injuries.
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"It's a fine balance at 36 [years old], trying to find the rhythm of strengthening your legs as the season goes on without wearing them out," Bryant told ESPN Los Angeles on Tuesday. "We're in uncharted territory in terms of trying to figure this out, but we will."
Bryant has admitted that he has struggled a bit this season -- mostly in the second half of games -- and the 16-time NBA All-Star is hopeful that the change in regimen will help him navigate his 19th NBA season.
"The second half of games for me have been a struggle lately with my legs," Bryant said. "My shot's just been really short even though my legs feel good."
Bryant set the NBA record for missed shots when he failed for the 13,418th time earlier this month and he currently paces the league in scoring with 26.7 points per game.
Scott said that in addition to limiting Bryant at practice, he may trim his minutes down as he currently averages a team-high 37.5 minutes per game.
"It's a work in progress," Scott said. "He's played 19 years. He knows his body better than anybody, but we can see also watching the tape that everything was a tad short, which tells me that the legs were a little fatigued."
After finishing with a franchise-worst 27-55 record in 2013-14 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2005, Los Angeles is off to a 3-11 start and sits in fifth place in the Pacific Division.
The Lakers host the Memphis Grizzlies (12-2) in Thanksgiving Eve action Wednesday night at the Staples Center.
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