Immediately following the Lakers 118-116 win over the Golden State Warriors, news broke that Kobe Bryant had a probable torn Achilles tendon. A few minutes later, Kobe addressed the media with tears in his eyes and talked about the injury.
Bryant was asked if he thought his injury was a torn Achilles and simply responded with, “yeah.” He then went on to describe the play.
“I made a move I’ve made a million times and [the Achilles] just popped,” said Kobe describing what happened during the fourth quarter drive that resulted in the injury.
Kobe got the ball at the top of the key with Klay Thompson guarding him, drove left and slipped onto the hardwood. He immediately began grabbing around his ankle area and the game went to a timeout.
Coming out of the timeout, Kobe knocked down two free throws and left to the locker room immediately following the second foul shot.
When asked if this is an an injury that he could possible play through, Bryant responded with, “I can’t walk. There’s just nothing there.”
Kobe would go on to say that he has no sensation in his Achilles area and that he would wait for the morning MRI for confirmation that his Achilles is indeed torn.
Even without Kobe, however, the Lakers would go on to win a must-win game against the Warriors. Pau Gasol would pick up for Kobe missing from the floor with a triple-double.
“This is hard for me, it’s hard for me to see him like that. He doesn’t deserve it,” said Gasol on Kobe’s injury, obviously distraught.
Despite the injury to Kobe, the Lakers still have two games that they’re going to have to go out and win if they’re going to make the post season.