Byron Scott called Kobe Bryant's left Achilles injury "toughest period in his lifetime"

OKLAHOMA CITY >> If all goes according to plan, a flood of pleasant memories will race in Kobe Bryant’s mind.

The Lakers’ 37-year-old start will wave goodbye to fans after he steps off the floor following the season-finale against Utah on Wednesday at Staples Center. He will reminisce on his accomplished 20-year NBA career that entailed five NBA championships. He might become emotional, too.

Those sentiments will likely contradict the feelings he had nearly three years ago. Bryant’s career finale will also mark the three-year aiversary of Bryant tearing his left Achilles tendon against Golden State. Lakers coach Byron Scott called that moment “the toughest period in his lifetime dealing with his career.”

“Everybody at that particular time was saying it was time to retire when he tore his Achilles,” Scott said before the Lakers played the Thunder on Monday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. “The people that knew him knew he wasn’t going to retire like that. They knew he was going to work his [tail] off to try to come back.”

Bryant did that eight months later. He only lasted six games, though, before injuring his left knee and eventually needing season-ending surgery. Bryant then played in 35 games during the 2014-15 season before needing season-ending surgery on his right shoulder to treat a to rotator cuff.

Scott said his two-year coaching stint with Bryant “made us closer” after also mentoring him during his rookie season 20 years ago. It also made Scott stress more in handling Bryant’s health.

Yet, Scott said he maintained optimism Bryant could play through his final NBA season without suffering a major ailment.

“It’s still a dream of mine. It’s becoming a reality, but we’ll still have a couple of days before we get to that point,” Scott said. “I’ll breathe easier on Wednesday night.”

Then, Scott said he will likely play Bryant significantly more than his season average of 28.2 minutes per game. Will it be 48 minutes?

“That’s not going to happen. But he’ll play more in that game than he has all season long,” Scott said of Bryant, who played a season-high 37 minutes in November against Toronto. “His number was lower than mine. That happens all the time.”

Change of plans

Bryant’s last trip became what Scott described as “so chaotic” that the two postponed plans to have a farewell dier.

Instead, Scott suggested he and Bryant will recoect for dier somewhere near his Newport Beach resident sometime next week.

“He makes $25 million so I think he buys. I don’t make that much,” joked Scott, who made near $4 million this season. “So I’m going to put it on his tab.”

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Still, Scott sounded courteous enough not to challenge Bryant to a game of golf. That has become Scott’s routine offseason hobby, while even the uber competitive Bryant has rarely picked up a set of clubs.

“He doesn’t want to embarrass himself,” Scott joked. “That’s one of the games that can humble you very quickly.”

Well after that farewell dier, Scott plans to stay in touch with Bryant after forging a 20-year friendship. Should he coach the Lakers next season, Scott reported that Bryant “already told me he’ll talk me off the ledge if he has to next year.”