Black Mamba Injury Poisons the Lakers Hopes

On Friday, April 12th, the nation saw a Kobe Bryant they have never seen before. A Kobe in a pain, anguish, and disbelief. On a step that Bryant has made over a million times in his career, it ended different then any of those million times, it ended with a torn Achilles tendon in his left ankle. Next was something many have never seen before in the sport of basketball. Kobe, under his own power, walked over to the free throw line, made two foul shots on one leg to tie the game up, and then left the court, with his night, and his season over. Bryant seemed composed during his post game interviews, when on reporter of course asked about retirement. But as for 3 A.M. that morning Kobe took to Facebook to vent his anger on the injury. 

             "This is such BS! All the training and sacrifice just flew out the window with one step that I've done millions of times! The frustration is unbearable. The anger is rage. Why the hell did this happen ?!? Makes no damn sense. Now I'm supposed to come back from this and be the same player Or better at 35?!? How in the world am I supposed to do that??" 


Kobe followed up later in the status with this, 

"There are far greater issues/challenges in the world then a torn achilles. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, find the silver lining and get to work with the same belief, same drive and same conviction as ever. One day, the beginning of a new career journey will commence. Today is NOT that day." 

Laker and Kobe fans, don't sweat the Mamba will be back, most likely not for the tip off of the 2013/2014 season, but he will be back.

This injury does come at the worst time. The Lakers nursing a one game lead over the Utah Jazz, fighting for the 8 seed spot, and the roster finally healthy with the return of a rejuvenated Paul Gasol, the most important Laker goes down. The next two games seem to be locked in as wins for the Lakers, a Sunday night match-up against the Spurs and then what seems to be a meaningless game for the Rockets on Wednesday. The Lakers will lock up the 8 seed, but they will face either the Thunder, or the Spurs.

The Lakers are good enough to beat the Spurs, in a game with which Popovich will likely rest his starters, and are still learning to live without Ginobli. However, I don't see them sticking it out in a 7 game series with San Antonio, and that is IF the Spurs get the 1 seed. Right now all roads lead to Oklahoma City, who across the board, are much younger, and talented than the Lakers. D'antoni seems to finally have figured out how to use Gasol and Howard together, and Metta World-Peace did make a gutsy comeback from knee surgery to suit up for the playoffs but that will not be enough. Howard will have to be the corner stone of this team for the playoffs, and they are a good team, but simply not better than Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. It was a good push for the Lakers, they were doomed from the beginning.

At least the Mamba will be back for next year, "If you see me in a fight with a bear, prey for the bear". - Kobe Bryant