Kobe Bryant Out for the Rest of Season Due to Injury

pic: Guardian.co.uk

While the Lakers struggle to make it past the regular season and into the playoffs, yet another major hurdle has beset them. And this hurdle came from an unlikely source - from one of their own teammates in Kobe Bryant. The NBA superstar and veteran's 17th season could be cut short after he suffered an injury to his Achilles heel following a seemingly innocent drive to the hoop past his defender. The injury came after Friday night game between the Lakers and Golden State Warriors.

Kobe was seen in crutches after walking out of the locker room wherein the media greeted him. When asked about his injury, he said, "it just popped", referring to his Achilles tendon. Despite being taken out of the game, though, the Lakers still managed to get a win over the Warriors via a 118-116 game.

To say that the fact that Kobe will be sidelined due to injury for the rest of the season will impact the Lakers' bid in the playoffs is an understatement. After all, he is the fourth-leading scorer in the history of the league. This is only the second time that Kobe will miss the post-season.

But given the superstar that he is with several championship rings under his name, he refuses to be overcome by this injury. Bryant, who averaged 27.3 points and played an average of 41 minutes in the past 6 games by the Lakers, said, "I know I can do this," when many had questioned whether the 34-year-old has seen the few remaining years of his career.

The injury took place during the early part of the second half. He hyperextended his knee while driving to the basket and fouled. He managed to sink in a couple of free throws after the call but hobbled his way to the locker room. Eventually, he did not see action again for the rest of the game. The 5-time NBA champion had already been scheduled to undergo MRI on Saturday.

Click this link to view his interview with the media and hear his thoughts about the injury, as well as the chances of his team going into the postseason:

Do you think the Lakers can survive the postseason even without Kobe?

NBA 2013 All-Star Game: West Beats East

Image: sbnation

The battle between East vs West closes out a fun-filled weekend featuring some of the best talents in the NBA this season. This game is the most anticipated event out of the NBA 2013 All-Star Weekend and the superstars surely did not disappoint their fans who were expecting to witness a showcase of hoops and slams. However intense the battle may be, only one can emerge as the winner and it is the West that outshone the East superstars via a 143-138 victory.

Chris Paul was named as the NBA 2013 All-Star MVP after he scored 20 points and dished out 15 assists. It was his connection with teammate Blake Griffin that brought the house down as the twosome delivered several exciting plays. This helped Griffin establish his own 19 points into the game. Seems like Lob City found its way to Houston!

Aside from Chris Paul, Kevin Durant also had an impressive showing for the West courtesy of his 30-point performance. What is more impressive than his scoring is the 13-of-24 shooting percentage!

The East team also had a few stellar performances such as Dwayne Wade with 21 points and went 10-of-13 on the field, which makes him the best All-Star performer out of the three Heat players that were on the lineup. Meanwhile, Kevin Garnett has previously expressed that this might be his final All-Star Weekend appearance so he gave the floor to the younger guys and played only for 6 minutes.

Check out highlights from this spectacular game below:

Who were you rooting for in the NBA 2013 All-Star Game?

Underrated Players and Their Superstar Counterparts

Andrea Bargnani = Dirk Nowitzki
Season Stats 2011-2012:
Andrea Bargnani: 19.5ppg 5.5rpg 2.0apg 43.2%
Dirk Nowitzki: 21.6ppg 6.8rpg 2.2asp 45.7%

What Andrea fails to achieve?
MVP, Championship ring and Finals MVP

What's their big difference?
Andrea and Dirk have similar skill set which made them an effective NBA players. Though Dirk stays healthy most of his career and Andrea miss most game last season where in his team loss most of those games without him.

Also Dirk shots more winning shots, crucial shots and unbelievable fade away shots which brought him to the label SUPERSTAR.

David Lee = Amare Stoudemire
Season Stats 2011-2012:
David Lee: 20.1ppg 9.6rpg 2.8apg 50.3%
Amare Stoudemire: 17.5ppg 7.8rpg 1.1apg 48.3%

What David fails to achieve?
Carries team to Playoffs, Multiple All Star Appearance.

What's their big difference?

If you remember, the New York Knicks let David Lee go to free agency even though he was a Double-double machine. The Knicks was just not committed to him for some reason. Mybe because Lee is white thus he don't get enough that attentions. Outside of that, Amar'e plays in a team where he is the main guy or one of the main guy where in David's role in the team is just being a team guy but able to produce numbers like a star. Though Amar'e is more athlethic than Lee. To be a STAR, the brand of being a player which is trying to be that guy or assert his self is what make the difference between Amare and Lee. 

Josh Smith = Lebron James

Season Stats 2011-2012:
Josh Smith: 18.8ppg 9.6rpg 3.9apg 45.8%
Lebron James: 27.1ppg 7.9rpg 6.2apg 53.1%

What Josh fails to achieve?

3 time MVP, Championship ring and Finals MVP.

What's their big difference?

Though no one can really match Lebron but what Josh Smith done is being underrated and he even miss the All Star line up last season even though he strive as an all around player for Atlanta just like Lebron. 

Kevin Martin = Kobe Bryant
Season Stats 2011-2012:
Kevin Martin: 17.1ppg 2.7rpg 2.8apg 41.3%
Kobe Bryant: 27.9ppg 5.4rpg 4.6apg 43%

What Kevin fails to achieve?

Multiple All Star Appearance, MVP, NBA Championship ring and Finals MVP.

What's their big difference?

Though both can light up the score board at will, no one can match the game of Kobe. Kevin Martin's don't get that recognition as a premiere scorer. The key in order to stick a label superstar on your name is you have to make big shots after big shots after big shots and be one of the Leagues top scorer. Just like Lebron, no one ever comes close to them.

Jose Calderon = Steve Nash
Season Stats 2011-2012:
Jose Calderon: 10.5ppg 3.0rpg 8.8apg 45.7%
Steve Nash: 12.5ppg 3.0rpg 10.7apg 53.2%

What Jose fails to achieve?
All Star appearance, assist leader and 2 MVP.

What's their big difference?

Jose Calderon is criticize due to his poor defense and devalue him as an NBA player but the truth is he can play as good as Nash. He have the vision and Basketball IQ as Nash but only he is not as clutch and determine as Nash.

Whose your Underrated = NBA star? 

Written by Fritz Castro