Kobe Bryant Reacts to Lakers Earning Playoff Spot Without Him
Kobe Bryant, the 35-year-old Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard, recently took to Twitter to brag about his Los Angeles Lakers earning a playoff spot while he nursed an ankle injury.
Bryant recently tore his achilles tendon which required surgery, but his Lakers still managed to fend off the Houston Rockets in a 99-95 overtime win at the Staples Center to earn them a seventh seed playoff spot Wednesday night. The team's newest acquisition at center, Dwight Howard, scored 16 points and 18 rebounds, while Lakers forward Pau Gasol scored a tripple double with 17 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists.
After Lakers point guard Steve Blake scored 24 points, Bryant could not help but take to Twitter to brag about his teammates.
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"And to think some said we wouldn't make it.. #keepcalm #believe #makeplayoffs now #makehistory," Bryant tweeted. "Can the talk of trading @paugasol come to a cease now?? Playoff promise fulfilled #ontothenext. Steve Blake = Vino Bianco ha!"
Bryant seemed to be in a better place emotionally less than a week after he tore his achilles tendon. Just last week, Bryant was having thoughts about ending his basketball career in the face of injury.
"This is such BS! All the training and sacrifice just flew out the window with one step that I've done millions of times," Bryant wrote on his Facebook page last week. "The frustration is unbearable. The anger is rage. Why the hell did this happen?!?"
While Bryant questioned how he would bounce back after the injury at his age, he questioned if his career was over.
"Maybe I should break out the rocking chair and reminisce on the career that was. Maybe this is how my book ends," Bryant wrote. "Maybe Father Time has defeated me…Then again maybe not!"
Despite his public frustration and venting, the star guard and 5-time NBA champion spoke about his faith in the teammates that were still playing for the rest of the season.
"I have faith in my teammates," Bryant said on Facebook before his surgery last week. "They will come thru."
The Lakers will face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the NBA playoffs without Bryant.
