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Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers missed shootaround Thursday in Denver before Game 6 against the Nuggets with gastroenteritis (stomach flu).  His status is uncertain although the team expects/hopes that he’ll be available tonight in LA’s second-straight opportunity to eliminate the Nuggets.

Denver gave a gutsy performance on Tuesday, beating the Lakers 102-99.  The series stands at 3-2.  If Game 7 is needed, it will be on Saturday in Los Angeles.

Bryant playing below 100% can be a double-edged sword for the Nuggets.  It might negatively impact his performance or may do quite the opposite.

Regardless the night for either team will not be “easy.”

Much was made of Laker center Andrew Bynum’s comment the opponents often fold if hit hard early in an elimination game.  It did provide something for the Nuggets to rally around, but was it really a factor?

Did Denver suddenly decide to play their most aggressive, passionate game because of Bynum?

“When you’re in a situation that we’re in now where it’s win or go home there’s no time for excuses or saving energy. You just have to do it,” said Denver guard Arron Afflalo about his team’s effort in Game 5.

Can they do it for another 96 minutes?

“We don’t have a choice,” said Afflalo.

It doesn’t matter what anyone inside or outside the Denver organization says.  After falling down 3-1, the Nuggets need to play 144 minutes of effort basketball, on both ends.  They’ve gotten through 48.

Their defensive game-plan is sound.  Constant double-teams on Andrew Bynum with the duo of Corey Brewer and Afflalo charged with as much single-coverage on Kobe Bryant as possible.  Perhaps that’s easier with Kobe sick – perhaps not.

Center JaVale McGee, after his career game on Tuesday, pointed out the Denver philosophy on Bryant.

“It’s really hard to stop Kobe,” said McGee.  “Kobe’s a great player but if we stop the bigs then we can let Kobe do what he do, and that will really help us out. If everybody has a good game then it’s not a good chance that we’ll win.”

When Gasol is in for Bynum at center, he’ll receive the same treatment of double-teams with the Denver defenders crowding the paint.

How do the Lakers deal with the Nuggets’ scheme?  Hit open jump shots.

“They were daring us to take outside shots. We had wide-open shots that we couldn’t make and we have to keep shooting and hopefully they will go in because that’s what they’re doing right now,” said Coach Mike Brown.  “They’re backing way off of some of our guys and saying OK let me see you make this shot and right now we’re not doing it.”

They’ll be there for Gasol out high when he’s at four next to Bynum.  Ramon Sessions and Steve Blake both hit huge shots in Game 4 and Ramon almost hit an even bigger one at the end of Game 5.

“Our supporting cast really has to help out Pau and Andrew in particular in loosening up the defense,” said Kobe.  “You saw the defense tonight, they just sat in Pau’s lap, they sat in Andrew’s lap and we weren’t able to knock down shots and make them pay. We have to do a much better job in knocking down some of those shots, timely shots and in turn that will free up Pau and it will free up Andrew.”

Devin Ebanks hit shots in the series opener but hasn’t done much since.  Matt Barnes is struggling through an ankle injury and has shot a paltry 27.5% from the field.  Even Jordan Hill, perhaps the most productive bench player for the Lakers, has only shot 39.3% from the field.

The problem for the Lakers, be it against Denver or in future series should they advance, is that outside of the trio of stars the role players are shooting a combined 37.3% from the field.

They’re not making Denver pay for collapsing on Bynum and alternately Gasol, which makes it harder and harder for LA to get the kind of inside touches they need to run their offense affectively.

“I think that when we play in the playoffs especially the deeper we get teams are going to say hey, Kobe ain’t beating us or Andrew ain’t beating us,” said Brown.  “That’s kind of what Denver said from the beginning and that’s why Andrew gets double-teamed quicker than any other guy I think I’ve seen so far in these playoffs.”

The solution is simple but the Lakers haven’t quite been able to get it done, at least not for four of the five played.

“Other guys are going to have to step up and make shot,” said Brown.  “

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