Trail Blazers' Carmelo Anthony 'not ready' to play vs. Lakers, will sit out

Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony, a close friend of Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant, will miss Friday night's game against the Lakers for "personal reasons," the team announced.

League sources told USA Today Sports and The Athletic on Friday that Anthony won't play against the Lakers because of his "continued grieving and emotions over the loss of Kobe Bryant."

Friday's game at Staples Center in Los Angeles will be the first for the Lakers since Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash Sunday in Calabasas, Calif. The Lakers' matchup against the L.A. Clippers on Tuesday night was postponed due to the tragedy.

"I respect [Anthony's decision to sit out]. I know him and Kobe had a great relationship," Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard told reporters. "It's something he was not ready to face and deal with. We all respect his decision."

Anthony and Bryant became close friends when they teamed up together on the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic teams. Anthony posted an emotional tribute to the Lakers icon on social media earlier this week, in which he said Bryant told him that he was planning to attend Friday's game between the Blazers and Lakers.

"I hate when I have so much to say, but I can't put any of it into words," Anthony wrote Tuesday on Instagram. "The times I have the most to say are the times that I can't talk. I'm screaming inside but I can't be heard. You don't know how hard it is to try to pretend to smile when I have these clouds of emotions.

"This pain is almost unbearable Champ! Why you bro? Why GiGi? Why leave Vanessa with this sadness and pain. Why? This will never make sense to me. I know I'm not supposed to question God's will. I know God doesn't make mistakes. It just seems like it always rains the hardest on those who deserve the sun."

Advertisement

View this post on Instagram

Damn Bro!! I hate when I have so much to say, but I can't put any of it into words. The times I have the most to say are the times that I can't talk. I'm screaming inside but I can't be heard. YOU don't know how hard it is to try to pretend to smile when I have these clouds of emotions. YOU just called me and told me you were coming to the game Friday and that you were proud of me and "regardless of anything, stay true to myself and STAYME7O" We were just laughing about how hard YOU was working GiGi and her teammates and I told YOU they need a day off This pain is almost unbearable Champ! Why you bro? Why GiGi? Why leave Vanessa with this Sadness and Pain. WHY? This will never make sense to me. I know I'm not suppose to question GODs Will. I know GOD doesn't make mistakes. It just seems like It always rains the hardest on those who deserve the sun. There are moments in life when there's simply NO words to describe the pain within. This is one of them. YOU will continue to be Loved. YOU will be missed. YOU will forever be remembered. YOUR legacy will live on FOREVER. OUR FRIENDSHIP will never be forgotten. I know YOU will be near, Even if I don't see YOU. PEACE KING!!! "There Are No Goodbyes. Where Ever You'll be, You'll be in Our Hearts" All Praise Due #STAYME7O
Advertisement

A post shared by Carmelo Anthony (@carmeloanthony) on Jan 28, 2020 at 4:41pm PST

Anthony played in the Trail Blazers' 139-129 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. The All-Star forward also played in Portland's 125-112 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, but he acknowledged after the game that he was unsure about facing the Lakers at Staples Center.

The Lakers' matchup against the Trail Blazers is scheduled for 10 p.m. EST and will air on ESPN.