By: Stephen Patterson
It has been reported that Kobe Bryant underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his injured right knee last week. He played through the injury late in the season, and although he missed four of the last five regular season games, he didn't miss a game their championship run. This type of surgery is fairly minor, and it is expected he will be able to return in time for training camp in September.
At the beginning of the playoffs, Bryant struggled slightly with the knee against Oklahoma City and had the knee drained following Game 4 of the series. Even though he was averaging a modest 24 points per game on 38.3% shooting before having it drained, he caught fire with an average of 30.3 points per game while shooting 47.3% following the procedure. Bryant was the leader for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals once again, and he also won Finals MVP honors for his performance.
Kobe Bryant is one of the fiercest competitors in the league and has been known to play through injuries in the past. In 2008, he tore a ligament in his finger, and not only kept playing throughout the regular season, but he also helped lead the Lakers to an NBA Finals appearance and then an Olympic gold medal in Beijing with the U.S. national team.
Not only did Bryant play with a knee injury this season, he also fractured his right index finger in December and continued to play through the pain. That injury may also require surgery during the offseason, although the team won't confirm it. He has repeatedly stated that it was more of a problem this season than the injured knee.Bryant had a streak of 235 consecutive games played before missing games in February because of finger, knee, and ankle injuries. At the time, it was the fifth longest active streak in the NBA. While some experts point to the mileage on Bryant's body and claim he is nearing the end of his career, he is far from finished with his historic career. Los Angeles has once again improved an already championship roster with the additions of Matt Barnes, Theo Ratliff, and Steve Blake.
The Lakers will be one of the favorites to win the title for a third consecutive season, and if they accomplish that goal, Bryant will have the same number of titles as Michael Jordan. Oddly enough, Bryant has the chance to win them during two three-peats as Michael Jordan did, and they even have the same coach, Phil Jackson. Think the comparisons might heat back up again if that turns out?
