MIAMI -- Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant said he missed Tuesday's 101-88 loss to the Miami Heat because of back trouble.
"I had trouble walking," the 37-year-old Bryant said. "I've been dealing with the back a little bit during training camp. Today, I couldn't shake it free."
It marked the first game Bryant has missed in what could be his final NBA season. Lakers coach Byron Scott said as of now he expects Bryant to miss Wednesday's game against the Magic as well.
"When it's the back, you are concerned," Scott said. "He said he wanted to come over and get some treatment to see how he felt before the game."
Bryant attributed the back issue to "wear and tear" from a lengthy career. He is now in his 20th season in the NBA and his final year of his deal with the Lakers.
"You've just got to try to stay on top of it and maintain it," Bryant said. "It's not like back spasms or anything like that."
Bryant, whose past three seasons have been cut short by injury, said he's not concerned.
"It's soreness and something that I can knock out with a little rest, a little treatment," he said. "It's not like an injury-injury."
But Scott feels differently, especially because it's a back issue.
"When he says he can't go, you know he's hurting, so the level of concern is pretty up there right now," Scott said. "Hopefully [Wednesday], even if he doesn't play, we'll see some improvement in it, where he'll be OK for Friday [at Dallas]."
Metta World Peace, 35, started in place of Bryant and scored 14 points in 22 minutes in his third game of the season. World Peace didn't play in the NBA last season after spending 2013-14 with the New York Knicks in 2013-14.
Bryant said he's "extremely, extremely" disappointed he's not able to play all 82 games, a goal of his, as he could retire next summer.
"If I'm capable of playing, I want to make sure I get out there and play," he said. "For the fans who came and watched tonight, it was very tough to not be out there."
Bryant didn't offer specifics when asked what adjustments he could make regarding his health.
"If I'm healthy, I'll play. If I can't play, I won't," he said. "The back is really limiting. When the back goes, it's tough. Other than that, it's pretty simple. If I can get out there and play, I will. If I have to play decreased minutes because of it, I will.
"If I can walk and perform, I deserve to be out there playing, and the fans deserve to see me out there playing."
Bryant's resting Tuesday came as the Lakers enter the first of 17 back-to-back sets this season, with the team visiting Orlando to play the Magic on Wednesday.
Bryant is averaging 16.5 points on 32 percent shooting this season, which is on pace for his worst shooting percentage since he entered the league. He shot a career-worst 37 percent in 35 games last season before suffering a season-ending torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder.
World Peace is a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year who played four seasons with the Lakers, from 2009 to 2013, and averaged 9.9 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He played a crucial role in the Lakers' win over the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.