SAN DIEGO — Kobe Bryant hyperextended his right knee in the second quarter of the Lakers’ exhibition game against the Bobcats on Tuesday night.
Bryant, who scored four points in 14 minutes, did not come out with the team for the second half. The Lakers announced Bryant will be examined today. He injured his knee jumping for a rebound with 3:08 left in the first half.
Former Celtics owner dies.
Harry Mangurian Jr., a former owner of the Celtics and a renowned horse breeder, died of leukemia Sunday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was 82.
Mangurian owned the Cel- tics from 1979-83, a tenure that included a championship in 1981 and the signings of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, the original “Big Three” of team lore.
Gay out with staph infection
MIAMI — Memphis forward Rudy Gay has a staph infection and did not play in the Grizzlies’ preseason game against the Heat.
Gay will be a game-time decision for Memphis’ exhibition finale tonight against the Magic. The team did not reveal specifics of the infection, other than saying it was “in his leg area.”
Johnson, Johnson waived
WASHINGTON — The Wizards waived forwards DerMarr Johnson and Linton Johnson to cut their roster to the maximum 15 players.
DerMarr Johnson, a former Nuggets player, averaged 8.8 points and 19.6 minutes in five exhibition games. Linton Johnson averaged 1.3 points in four games.
Seattle mayor eyeing NBA return
SEATTLE — Greg Nickels said he hasn’t spoken to anyone with the NBA since the SuperSonics left Seattle in the summer, but the Seattle mayor feels “the door is open” to the league returning to what would be a remodeled KeyArena. The Associated Press
