Lakers' Kobe Bryant (foot) to be examined after leaving arena on crutch

Lakers guard Kobe Brant is suffering from a foot injury. (Gary Dineen/Getty Images)

By Ben Golliver

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, suffering from a bone spur, left Milwaukee's Bradley Center with the help of a crutch following a loss to the Bucks on Thursday night. He will undergo an examination of his left foot on Friday.

Sports Illustrated's Lee Jenkins reports that Bryant was not walking under his own power after the Bucks defeated the Lakers 113-103. Bryant played 36 minutes and finished with a game-high 30 points, but he shot just six-for-17 from the field.

Lakers.com reported that a doctor will take a look at Bryant's foot in Sacramento on Friday in advance of a Saturday night game against the Kings, the final stop of a four-game trip. While Bryant did not address reporters after the loss, Yahoo! Sports reports that Bryant said that his foot was "inflamed" but that he will "be all right." Bryant has played in all but two games for the Lakers this season, missing time earlier this month with a sprained left ankle.

The Lakers, who are in the middle of a dogfight for the Western Conference's No. 8 playoff spot, have already lost forward Metta World Peace to regular season-ending knee surgery this week. Starting point guard Steve Nash also left Thursday's game with a hip issue, according to the Orange County Register, after playing just 23 minutes.

L.A. fell to 37-36 with the loss to Milwaukee and now holds just a half-game lead over Utah and a 1.5 game lead over Dallas for the West's final playoff spot with nine games remaining on their schedule.