Kobe Bryant clouds the Lakers’ chances in the playoffs

Kobe Bryant / Jenson Chan - Flickr

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon on April 13 and is expected to be sidelined for nine months. Due to his absence, the Lakers lost in the first round of the playoffs after they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

Bryant made a tremendous contribution to the Lakers during the regular season. He led his team by scoring 27.3 points per game and adding 6.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game. His great offensive skills led him to become the fourth leading scorer of all time in the NBA this season.

Not only did Bryant provide his team with valuable scoring, he also motivated his teammates to do better and helped them grow as players. "Kobe is a different type of player, just like I said, just sitting back and watching Kobe and how he handled himself the whole year was great for me to watch,” said his teammate Dwight Howard to the LA Times.

Even though Bryant wasn’t able to play against the Spurs he encouraged his team to continue to make good defensive and offensive plays. “What I would say if I was there right now? Pau get ur a-- on the block and don't move till u get it #realtalk," tweeted Bryant as he coached his teammates from home.

Without Bryant, the Lakers lacked motivation and had difficulty scoring against the tough defense of the Spurs. As Bryant recovers there is hope that next year the Lakers will have a strong season. With the help of Pau Gasol and Howard, Bryant will try to make the Lakers a winning team. His main focus is to recover from this injury with the same mentality he always had.

“We don't quit, we don't cower, we don't run. We endure and conquer" said Bryant on Facebook.