SAD DAY FOR KOBE, LAKERS BRYANT MISSES LOSS TO KINGS TO BE WITH AILING WIFE SACRAMENTO 115, LAKERS 106.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

All Lakers interim coach Frank Hamblen professed to know Friday night came from what he read on the same press release issued to reporters at Staples Center, which was heartbreaking news to say the least.

Kobe Bryant was to miss the Lakers' game against the Sacramento Kings because his wife, Vanessa, was suffering complications from an ectopic pregnancy, the explanation for his sudden absence from the team the past two days.

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, most commonly in the fallopian tube. The Lakers said Bryant would be with his wife for the ``foreseeable future'' and that Vanessa Bryant had undergone numerous tests.

``He's doing the right thing, being with his wife,'' Hamblen said before the Lakers' 115-106 loss to the Kings, later adding, ``The most important thing is his family.''

Bryant called Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and trainer Gary Vitti to update them on the situation, but most of his teammates learned of the news from reporters when they arrived at the arena.

One Lakers player who did speak with Bryant was forward Caron Butler, his closest friend on the team. Butler did his best to fill in for Bryant against the Kings, finishing with a season-high 34 points in 44 minutes.

``I just told him to keep his head up,'' Butler said. ``We're definitely praying for him and his family. We didn't go into details. He just told me to go out there and play hard and lead the ballclub.''

Ectopic pregnancies occur in slightly more than one percent of all pregnancies and can present serious health problems if the fallopian tube ruptures. It was unknown if that had happened.

Bryant had been absent from practice Thursday as well as the Lakers' charity casino night in Santa Monica. He also missed Friday's shootaround for what the team then was calling ``family medical reasons.''

The Lakers have three games left - closing out their home schedule Sunday against Dallas - and Bryant's availability is unknown. The team only would describe Vanessa Bryant's condition as ``serious'' and did not know if she was hospitalized.

Everything else was a footnote on a night when the health of Bryant's wife was at the forefront. The Lakers lost for the 16th time in 18 games and fell to 7-39 when an opponent scores 100 points or more.

Butler, meanwhile, has played his best during the Lakers' slide and rose to the occasion again with Bryant out and Lamar Odom on the injured list, though it was to no avail in the end.

``It's real hard, but I've got to keep leaving it out there,'' Butler said. ``No way, no how are any of us going to give up. We're not going to let that happen. We're going to continue to give it our all out there.''

The Lakers (34-45) cut what had been a 19-point lead all the way to 96-91 with 9:12 remaining as Devean George stroked a 3-pointer, Luke Walton pulled down a big rebound and Butler went to the line after a nice dish from rookie Sasha Vujacic.

But the Kings hit all the big shots down the stretch, none more important than Corliss Williamson's three-point play with 2:49 left. Williamson muscled in a shot around and through Brian Grant and Jumaine Jones to make it 107-99.

Mike Bibby led Sacramento with 26 points and drained a backbreaking jumper with 1:34 remaining.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

(color) Chucky Atkins can't watch as the Lakers lost their third in a row and 45th this season.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) GAME RECAP

(2) OTHER GAMES: NUGGETS RUN WIN STREAK TO 10