Low Vig

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant visited with neurologist Dr. Vern Williams Wednesday morning and has been symptom free from any effects following his nasal fracture and concussion in the NBA All-Star Game since late Tuesday afternoon, according to a team spokesman.

Bryant passed a neurological test, an Axon baseline test for concussion management as well as a stationary bike test and treadmill test while visiting with Dr. Williams on Tuesday morning before heading to the Lakers’ practice facility to participate in an on-court basketball test consisting of a game of 2-on-2, monitored by the Lakers’ training staff.

If Bryant passes the full-contact basketball test and remains symptom free, he could play in the Lakers’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. Before he can ultimately be cleared to play, Bryant will consult with Dr. Williams at Staples Center once again prior to tipoff and Williams will have to check in with Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Michigan, who is the inaugural director of the NBA’s newly-implemented concussion program, in order to be able to sign off on it.

“I don’t want to speak for the doctors, but if they didn’t feel like he was going to be able to play tonight, they would say, ‘Oh, he’s definitely out,’ and they have not said that,” Lakers coach Mike Brown said. “They said he’s going through the necessary steps to possibly play tonight.”

The Lakers’ training staff has fabricated a protective mask to cover Bryant’s nose injury. If Bryant is able to play, he is expected to try the mask out during pregame warm-ups and decide whether he will wear it during the game or not.

Brown said that if Bryant cannot play against Minnesota he will consider Devin Ebanks, Jason Kapono or Steve Blake to fill in as the Lakers’ starting shooting guard.

Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Follow Dave McMenamin on Twitter: @mcten