http://content.usatoday.com/communities/...eturning/1
Kobe Bryant is either a very brave warrior or one of the NBA's most stubborn knuckleheads.
We may all find out on Sunday as the future Hall of Famer has decided to play with a torn ligament in his right wrist.
On Thursday we asked if we were seeing the end of Bryant and 52% voted that his body was indeed breaking down after wrist, finger, ankle and knee problems.
NBA: Delayed start gives season plenty of storylines
Bryant told the Los Angeles Times that his wrist was "swollen and painful" but that his mindset was always to "try to figure out a way to play."
He was shooting lefthanded on Wednesday and missed Thursday's practice.
ESPN analyst Jalen Rose said he experienced the same injury when he was a player and said it would take a solid month of inaction for Bryant's body to heal.
But Bryant said "it's not really going to heal. The ligament's gone. There's nothing I can do about it. "But I've dealt with so many hand injuries I should be all right."
Kobe has spoken. Are they the words of a tough guy or a man whistling past the graveyard?
Tough. As I have said before In Kobe I trust. He has shown he can play through injury and still be effective. And he knows his body better then anyone. Jalens injury isnt the same has Kobe's because its completely different people, different wrists. Doctors, analysts, nor even you SD can say whether or not Kobe is too injured to play. His body. His call.
Of course I almost always back Kobe up and much rather have him on the court then off. My faith in the Lakers drops significantly without Kobe.
^ I think Kobe should play, it increases the Bulls chance to win exponentially with Kobe on the floor! If Kobe sits, the Lakers might accidently win!!!
Stardust Wrote:^ I think Kobe should play, it increases the Bulls chance to win exponentially with Kobe on the floor! If Kobe sits, the Lakers might accidently win!!!
:lmao::lmao: YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY DO STAND-UP!!! You would make one hell of a comedian SD.
For the record though, I do think the bulls will probably win the game. With or without Kobe. Lakers have a history of playing poorly on holidays, and we will be without Bynum. And furthermore, the addition of Rip to the bulls makes them much better IMO. Bulls could be the team to spoil Lechokes championship dreams for this season.
Stardust, please tell me you don't really think that the Lakers could win without Kobe? He is the backbone of that whole team. I'd rather Kobe on the court with a broke leg, than him not on the court at all. Just his presence increases the Lakers chances of winning, you think the back of shooting guard worries other teams lol? Every time a team plays the Lakers they know who's gonna be the factor or the person who could break there hearts with one shot. The Lakers are a better team with Kobe on the court bottom line. And as for if he's tough or a knucklehead, I'd say It's toughness. Kobe knows when he can play and when he can't. You don't win 5 rings not knowing those things.
All i do is win Wrote:Stardust, please tell me you don't really think that the Lakers could win without Kobe? He is the backbone of that whole team. I'd rather Kobe on the court with a broke leg, than him not on the court at all. Just his presence increases the Lakers chances of winning, you think the back of shooting guard worries other teams lol? Every time a team plays the Lakers they know who's gonna be the factor or the person who could break there hearts with one shot. The Lakers are a better team with Kobe on the court bottom line. And as for if he's tough or a knucklehead, I'd say It's toughness. Kobe knows when he can play and when he can't. You don't win 5 rings not knowing those things.
No, I'm just joking, but please don't tell K_Mac, I don't want him to know that
nicker:
Doctors told him it should take 2-3 weeks of rest and it would heal on it's own.
IMO he should sit....
but with a shortened season every game means more.
We'll see what happens.
My fantasy team is screwed Kobes hurt and Brooke Lopez lost his foot lol
If Kobe sits 2-3 weeks, Lakers don't make the playoffs.
He's dealt with this for the last few years and averaged 25ppg. He'll be fine. But there is no doubt, his body is breaking down.
Stardust Wrote:No, I'm just joking, but please don't tell K_Mac, I don't want him to know thatnicker:
lmao. This guy cracks me up :Clap:
Aslan Wrote:If Kobe sits 2-3 weeks, Lakers don't make the playoffs.
He's dealt with this for the last few years and averaged 25ppg. He'll be fine. But there is no doubt, his body is breaking down.
Exactly.
Kobe knows his body and if he believes he can play effectively through the pain, he will. Kobe, moreso than any player I've seen since Michael Jordan, knows how to play effectively even with an injury. But, with the Lakers lineup looking like it is they need Kobe to score, a lot.
If the doctors say 2-3 weeks, he should take at least 1 week, for SOME rest.
He is basically saying forget the future of my body, give me the now.
LWC Wrote:If the doctors say 2-3 weeks, he should take at least 1 week, for SOME rest.
He is basically saying forget the future of my body, give me the now.
Athletes don't look to the future of their bodies. I didn't. You didn't LWC! You would likely still be destroying every vertebrae, ligament and muscle today if the breaks would have gone your way in the profession that you originally chose. And you and I both know that that "One Big Event" would have been your stretch goal, and you would have went out there no matter how your body felt. It's the mentality of athletes, and they have to have someone step in on their behalf and "take their ball away from them".
Anyone on here who gives me this crap of "Kobe knows his body", is completely full of it to think that justifies Kobe going out and competing when he is injured. The reason why so many athletes are crippled, hobbling, and disabled shells of themselves when they reach the magic OLD age of FIFTY, is because they were too stupid to listen to their bodies! When a competitor steps out onto the field of competition, they know no better. I had surgery on my hand 2 weeks ago. A week later, I got dressed to go play in my 35+ Sunday Night basketball league and I thought my wife was going to file for divorce. To me, I was "Ready"! I still have stitches in my hand today, but that was not going to stop me, but a 5-0' woman did!!!!
I don't know how much this will affect Kobe, only Kobe and his training staff would truly know that right now. For the Lakers to win though, I think they really need him on the court this year. There are a lot of question marks surrounding the Lakers right now with their age as a team and their disappointing end to the season against Dallas. If I knew the players around him for sure would be able to step up and take some of the load when he was out, I would definitely say rest him. But given that the Lakers traded away a key player in Lamar Odom and the fact that Gasol ended last year on a major slump, I would say right now that the Lakers have to play Kobe to win. Also, throw in the fact that there is a brand new coach which brings a new system to LA - the team will probably be a bit sloppy at first as they learn his system. IMO, he has to play right now.