Sa pagbubukas ng 2011-2012 NBA Season ngayon Kobe magpipilit makalaro kontra sa Chicago Bulls

LOS ANGELES - Plano ni Kobe Bryant na lumaro sa season opening game ng Los Angeles Lakers laban sa Chicago Bulls ngayon sa kabila ng torn ligament sa kanyang kanang pulso.

Nakuha ni Bryant ang nasabing injury sa isang pre-season game kontra sa Los Angeles Clippers noong Lunes.

Bagamat hindi naglaro ang two-time NBA Finals MVP sa kanilang pre-season finale ng L.A. Clippers noong Miyerkules, nag-ensayo naman siya noong Biyernes sa El Segundo training facility.

“It’s just getting used to it,” sabi ni Bryant. “I’ve just real­ly ignored it. You’ve just got to go out there and play your game, just not think about it as much. I try to block it out.

“It’s always been in my nature to try to figure out a way to play. I’ve still got a couple of days before the game,” dag­dag pa nito.

Inamin ng 33-anyos na si Bryant na nag-adjust siya sa kanyang ball handling at shooting dahil sa kanyang injury.

“It depends on the severity of it,” wika ni Bryant, iginiya ang Lakers sa limang NBA championships.

“The fingers are a little bit more complicated because that’s the last point of contact with the ball. But I’ve dealt with so many hand injuries I should be all right.”

Bago magsimula ang season ay pinalitan ni Mike Brown ang nagretiro nang si Phil Jackson bilang head coach ng Lakers at dinala si forward Lamar Odom, ang best bench player ng NBA noong nakaraang season, sa NBA champions Dallas Mavericks via trade.

Hindi rin makakalaro si Andrew Bynum sa kanilang unang apat na laban bunga ng four-game suspension nito.

Sa iba pang laro, magtatapat ang nagdedepensang Mavericks at runner-up Miami Heat; maglalaban ang Boston Celtics at New York Knicks; maghaharap ang L.A. Clippers at Golden State Warriors; at magtatagpo ang Orlando Magic at Oklahoma City Thunder.