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Bryant looks to end Lakers five-game slide

Feb 21, 2007 - 4:26 PM Portland (23-32) at LA Lakers (30-24) 10:30 pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Superstar Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers will have to fill another void in the lineup.

The injury-riddled Lakers hope to put an end to their season-high five-game losing streak when they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

With Luke Walton and Kwame Brown already sidelined with ankle injuries, Los Angeles will be minus the services of forward Vladimir Radmanovic, who will miss up to eight weeks with a separated shoulder.

Bryant sat the entire preseason and the first two games of the season following knee surgery, and Lamar Odom missed 21 games from December 13-January 22 with a sprained knee for the Lakers, who are 19-8 at the Staples Center.

Los Angeles fell to a dismal 2-6 in February after last Thursday's 114-108 setback to the Cleveland Cavaliers despite 34 points from Bryant, who picked up his second All-Star Game MVP on Sunday.

Rookie Brandon Roy scored 27 points and Zach Randolph had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Portland in Tuesday's 103-100 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Randolph's 36 points and 10 rebounds led the way for the Trail Blazers in a 101-90 win on November 8 in the first matchup against the Lakers. Bryant netted 32 points in the loss.