Kobe Bryant played just 12 minutes in the Los Angeles Lakers' 99-93 victory over the Indiana Pacers, but his merely being in uniform set the tone for what will be a rough-and-tumble final stretch for L.A.
Bryant played in just the 15th scoreless game of his career, but the Lakers pulled out a win on the road over a top-tier playoff team, something they really haven't done all season long.
In fact, the only marquee road victories they'd previously had all year came on Dec. 22 in overtime over the Golden State Warriors and Feb. 5 over the Brooklyn Nets.
Bryant's willingness to play after the "sprained ankle heard 'round the world" set an example for his team, allowing him to walk the walk after so much talk all season long.
He wasn't Willis Reed descending from the crowd in Madison Square Garden to play the first few minutes of Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals with a torn thigh muscle, but playing on a serious ankle sprain is no easy task.
17yrs. Countless fades. This has happened TWICE. Jalen and Now Ankle still very swollen. Treatment all day #focus twitter.com/kobebryant/sta…
— Kobe Br ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Jesse Dorsey
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