Should Kobe Bryant Sit Out the Remainder of the Los Angeles Lakers Season?

Kobe Bryant has suffered an injury to his pinkie finger that a doctor has suggested he have surgery on. It is torn ligament to his shooting had. The surgery on that finger would probably keep Kobe Bryant out for at least six weeks.

But six weeks is a long time, especially for a young Los Angeles Lakers team that doesn't know anything but relying on Kobe Bryant as the focal point of their offense. As of February 15, 2008, the Lakers are in 3^rd place in the Western Conference. So you might think they could afford to have Kobe out of the line up for what would probably amount to 20 or so games and still make the playoffs. In the Eastern Conference that would work. That would have a 10 game lead over the eighth-place team in the East if they were to take the Orlando Magic's record as the third place team in the East. But in the Western Conference, the Lakers third-place record of 35-17 only gives them a three game lead over the "ninth-place" team in the Western Conference, nevermind the eighth-place team.

Needless to say, the Lakers can't afford to have Kobe Bryant out of line up. The eighth place team in the West, the Houston Rockets, has won eight games in a row and is 9-1 over their last 10 games. They are headed in the upward direction as far as the standings go. And the Denver Nuggets, while only 6-4 in their last 10, have a soft spot in their schedule over the next several games and should come out with a better-than-decent record over their next 10 games.

However, if Kobe stays in the lineup, that pinkie finger is not going to get any better. And worst yet, he could reinjure the pinkie and be forced into having surgery if reinjuring it makes it worse than it ever was. Thereby, he would miss the playoffs, and any hopes of this talented team going to the finals would quickly be dashed.

Yet it seems Kobe is willing to take that risk, and you really can't blame him. Certainly, missing the playoffs would be hugely detrimental to the Lakers organization and Kobe Bryant himself. Just think of all the things those two entities have gone through this season. The Lakers made that blockbuster trade for Pau Gasol to make the Lakers the most talented team in the Western Conference. And Kobe Bryant held out on his demands for a trade to give the team a chance to make a deal that would make the Lakers a championship contender. Bringing in Gasol made the Lakers just that, so missing the playoffs is not an option for this squad.

Let's be real though. We all know that Kobe Bryant is a true competitor and that he is going to battle through this injury. So as long as he is on the floor, the Lakers are going to make the playoffs. But if for some stroke of bad luck, he reinjures that pinkie because he didn't get the surgery and he isn't there for the playoffs, the Lakers are easily gone in the first round. And even if he doesn't reinjure it, is Bryant at 80% or even 90% what is best for the Lakers. Sure, he is still better than 90% of the players in the league when injured, but I don't buy that an injured Kobe Bryant can take the Lakers past the second round.

In my opinion, he should opt for the surgery and hope his squad can tread water and stay in the playoff race while he is gone. I don't want to see Kobe at 85% during the only time of the year that the NBA matters. He needs to be 100%, and his shooting finger, of all things, should be in tact.

But it's Kobe's decision, and it looks like he will play. We'll see how that works out, but we know one thing is for certain, and that is that he won't be 100% for the rest of the year, and that is disappoint to me, fans, the Lakers and probably Kobe Bryant himself.