ATLANTA >> Kobe Bryant will soon feel something unpleasant that does not involve his health. When the Lakers (3-16) play the Detroit Pistons (11-9) on Sunday at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Bryant will feel frustration regarding the Lakers losing to the Pistons in five games of the 2004 NBA Finals.

“It still eats at me. Absolutely does,” Bryant said. “I’m upset that I gave Richard Hamilton something to brag about. Up until that point, he never beat me. That just kills me.”

Bryant has contended he should have won seven NBA championships instead of five amid the Lakers’ NBA Finals losses to Detroit (2004) and Boston (2008). So how does Bryant process the fact his 20-year NBA career will sit at five NBA titles?

“I did everything I could. I’m fine with that, ” Bryant said following Saturday’s practice at Georgia Tech University. “When I came into the league, I knew I didn’t want to have any regrets. I pushed as hard as I can. I’ve done that. So I’m completely fine.”

Lakers coach Byron Scott understood the feeling. Scott argued he should have won five NBA titles instead of three with the Showtime Lakers. Scott missed the Lakers’ 1989 NBA Finals four-game sweep to Detroit after straining his left hamstring. Yet, Scott conceded “we can’t get them back.”

“He knows in his heart he’s given everything,” Scott said of Bryant. “When you feel that way and know you’ve given everything you’ve got, you can be [at peace].”

Scott admitted he will not feel at peace on Sunday in Detroit.

“Every time I step into that building, I see some jerseys that I played against and a couple of banners up there that were won at our expense,” Scott said. “It conjures up memories.”

Still, both Bryant and Scott hold the Pistons teams in high regard.

“They were real physical,” Scott said. “(Bill) Laimbeer was dirty. But other than that, everybody else were physical basketball players.”

Bryant disagreed the Lakers would beaten Detroit in 2004 had Karl Malone stayed healthy.

“They were a better team than us,” Bryant said. “They pressured us and we weren’t ready to go into our offense and automatics. That is stuff that wins us championships.”

Hard at work

Bryant may have missed Saturday’s practice. But those frequent absences does not mean Bryant enjoys a day off.

He typically spends rest days stretching, running on a treadmill, lifting weights and receiving massage therapy. In recent games, Bryant has also performed a series of leg stretches, jumps and butt kicks when he is not playing. Bryant laughed about the routine, likening it to Jim Carrey’s character in “The Cable Guy.”

“Normally when you sit on the bench, you’re trying to rest your legs,” Bryant said. “[Forget about] rest. It won’t make difference. I can’t move. So I try to get up and move around as much as possible.”

Injury update

Lakers rookie forward Larry Nance Jr. took an MRI exam on Saturday that showed swelling and soreness in his right knee. The Lakers listed Nance Jr. as questionable for Sunday’s game in Detroit.