The Los Angeles Lakers have decided to rest Kobe Bryant for the final two National Basketball Association regular season games against Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Lakers play the Kings on Tuesday and Clippers on Wednesday.

The defending NBA champion Lakers said the time off the court would give Bryant more time to heal a broken finger on his right hand. Bryant has also been playing with a sprained ankle and sore right knee in the past few weeks.

Bryant scored 20 points in a 91-88 loss to Portland on Sunday.