Snapshot: Kobe likely to miss 6 weeks with fracture in knee

Fifteen-time NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant is expected to miss about six weeks with an injured left knee. The Lakers said Thursday that an MRI showed Bryant has a fracture of the lateral tibial plateau of his knee. The team said Bryant hyperextended the knee in Tuesday night’s win at Memphis. Bryant went down late in the third quarter. He walked to the bench but returned to play following a timeout. Bryant matched his season high with 21 points after hitting a 3-pointer to help clinch the win. The injury is the latest setback for the guard, who returned to the court on Dec. 8 after nearly eight months away because of a torn Achilles tendon. Los Angeles signed the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history to a two-year contract extension last month that takes Bryant into his 20th season with the Lakers. – Associated Press