LA's Hopes Rest with Kobe's Knee

With the 2008-09 NBA Season just around the corner (next week), the biggest question mark is on the reigning MVP, Kobe Bryant. This past Tuesday, Kobe collided with teammate Josh Powell in a preseason game against the Charlotte Bobcats, hyper-extending his knee. The injury forced him to sit out a Thursday night exhibition game, also against Charlotte. According to LA Times, Kobe feels the injury doesn't require an MRI:

"I've got a little bit of puffiness in the back of the knee, which was just from the trauma of landing the way I landed," Bryant said. "So we're just going to knock that out, make sure the swelling is out of there, which it should be soon, then I'm OK."

Bryant still hasn't had an MRI exam on the knee to determine the severity of it and sounded as if he won't get one.

"If I can run, if I can jump, if I can do lunges, if I can do leg curls, if I can do leg extensions, chances are there probably is no structural damage," Bryant said. "If I don't have to walk with more of a bop than I normally walk with, it's fine. So, I'm good. No need of wasting their money."

Coach Phil Jackson seems to want more caution taken regarding the injury and for good reason: Kobe's the team leader that brought them on a 2008 NBA Finals run. Similar injuries have forced other sports mega stars out of action. The Patriots' QB Tom Brady suffered a knee injury during the 1st week of the NFL season. The reconstructive surgery occurred too soon after the injury, and now Brady is dealing with a severe infection. In golf, the biggest start on the planet, Tiger Woods also left for a remainder of his season to get surgery. Will Kobe be following suit? Luckily, it seems like Kobe will be ready for the start of the season, but he definitely needs to guard against a season-ending injury.

Read the full story on Kobe at the LA Times.