A scorned Kobe Bryant is a dangerous Kobe Bryant. As if the assaults on his pride haven’t mounted with each and every loss the Lakers catch, he now has an ankle sprain to power through. The injury occured in the waning minutes of Wednesday night’s game at Atlanta. Kobe, per his nature, hoisted a potential game-tying jumper at the buzzer*, but landed awkwardly on defender Dahntay Jones causing the injury. The Hawks would win 96-92.
Kobe is now listed as “out indefinitely,” which could mean a number of things. The Lakers might be genuinely baffled about how long this will take to mend. They could also be shielding the severity of the issue, trying their hardest to avoid sending the comically on-edge Laker Nation into a frenzy/depression.
Let’s assume that Kobe comes back, though. The Lakers will have as full a roster as they’ve had this season with Pau returning next week, and if we’ve learned anything since MJ retired, it’s that Kobe Bryant is the most competitive motherf*cker in the sport. Factor this with a Lakers team that has been gelling with the spotlight pointed firmly at Miami (Dwight “Piece Of Sh*t” Howard is even pulling his weight, averaging 21-16 over the last five games), and the Lakers become the most intriguing eighth seed ever. Win and we get treated to a Kevin Durant-Kobe Bryant best-of-seven series (or another Spurs/Lakers series for the road). And maybe, just maybe, another epic and hilarious photo shoot.
Lose and this becomes one of the most comedic SI covers in recent memory.
* – He hoisted a lot, too, to the tune of 31 points on 11-33 shooting.