Kobe Bryant Wrist and Rest Controversy Were Overblown

Much was made coming into the season about Kobe Bryant's wrist injury and subsequent need for rest.

Especially with the shortened schedule this season that has already featured a back-to-back-to-back situation and will feature a couple of eight games in 10 days stretches.

But after watching Bryant torch the Phoenix Suns for 48 points in a 99-83 Lakers win, what we realized is that all of those concerns were way overblown.

Bryant has played with pain his entire career, especially later in his career where he's had to fight through almost everything. Yet, that's exactly what he does. He fights through everything.

We shouldn't have been concerned at all.

He's gone for more than 30 points in four of his last five games and is second in the NBA in scoring (29.5 ppg.) to Miami's LeBron James (29.7 ppg.).

You don't do that on a nightly basis with a bad wrist.

Whatever treatments and rehabilitation Bryant is doing on a daily basis, it's working.

There's still a minor concern of him landing on the wrist and re-injurring it, but there should be no concern left about his injured wrist affecting his play.

Not after that performance.

Bryant took 31 shots from the floor and another and another 13 from the free-throw line. If he can jack the ball up 44 times in a game overall, that wrist is doing just fine.

Worrying about Bryant was a waste of time. His game is just fine. We shouldn't be surprised, though.

If anyone can overcome the pain and excel, it's Bryant.

He's been doing it his entire career.