Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will miss the rest of the season

Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers icon, will sit out the rest of the season.

OFFICIAL: @kobebryant has been declared out for the remainder of the season. Press Release: http://t.co/pCle3khsHT

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 12, 2014

Lakers make it official: Kobe Bryant is out for the season. That had been the inevitable outcome since the All-Star break.

— Scott Howard-Cooper (@SHowardCooper) March 12, 2014

Kobe statement: "Obviously this has been a frustrating and disappointing season, but I appreciate all the support I’ve received from (cont.)

— Scott Howard-Cooper (@SHowardCooper) March 12, 2014

Kobe (2/2): "... the Lakers and the fans, and look forward to being back and ready for the start of training camp."

— Scott Howard-Cooper (@SHowardCooper) March 12, 2014

As we know form the "While you were Sleeping" feature, the Lakers are 22-42, and tied for fourth with the Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, and Boston Celtics. LA has 18 games remaining this season, with 10 of them against the "bottom 20" teams in the league. There are five other games left this season against the worst five.

Some of the games they'll "play" that we care about will be against: the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York KNicks, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings -- and one against us, the Utah Jazz.

Happy Tanksgiving!