Can a Healthy Kobe Bryant End Rumors of His Demise?

I've never been forced to play basketball with an avulsion fracture on the index finger of my shooting hand, but as with any type of finger injury, I'm sure the pain can be excruciating.

Even a jammed finger can change the way a player approaches the game, and for Los Angeles Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant, a fractured finger was only one of the ailments he was forced to endure last season.

The finger injury captured the public's attention because it was the type of injury that had a clear and visible effect on Bryant's game, but there were other subtle injuries that were less dramatic, but potentially more damaging.

Bones will heal, but Bryant's swollen knee and aching back were signs of 14 seasons of NBA play finally beginning to take their toll on the Lakers' star, and whispers began to emerge that Bryant may be on the backside of his career.

It's important to keep in mind that Bryant only missed a few weeks of game time in the regular season despite all his pains, and he still managed to average 27 points per game, five rebounds, and five assists while shooting 45 percent from the field.

Bryant's finger injury definitely altered his shot and he suffered through some miserable shooting performances, but during this time he also hit a lot of big shots, many of which were of the game-ending variety.

Oh yeah, the Lakers won their second consecutive NBA championship and Bryant was named Finals MVP for the second year in a row after averaging 30 points throughout the course of the postseason.

But Bryant is quickly approaching 32, and even though an offseason of rest will heal his injured hand, will the back and knee troubles disappear as well?

Maybe the ailments won't disappear, but Bryant is one of the better conditioned athletes in the entire NBA, and since the injuries are not considered career-ending, he will find a way to manage them.

To be fair, Bryant has already seen age rob him of a little quickness, and he doesn't explode to the rim with the same lift as in earlier years. But he has found ways to adapt his game.

Bryant has relied more on his mid range jumper, he has worked to develop his post game, and he may be surrounded by the best supporting cast of his Lakers career this season.

The Lakers have offensive options in Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom, as well as the defensive depth in the paint and on the perimeter.

Most fans feel Bryant will be more productive if his minutes decrease, and Matt Barnes, Shannon Brown, and Sasha Vujacic afford the Lakers an opportunity to make that happen.

The only important number for Bryant in his career now should be the number of championships he is able to win before time does finally overtake him, because individually, there is little else he can accomplish.

Bryant still has the spirit to compete, and I'm sure he is cognizant of the whispers surrounding him and his rumored decline.

Most players would have missed significantly more time had they suffered the same type of injuries that Bryant did—and how many players could have still managed to play at such a high level?

A battered and bruised Bryant was still capable of leading his team to a league championship, so what makes a person think that a healthy Bryant would not be a little better next season?

It would be foolish to assume that last season was an image of Bryant's immediate future, because even though it ended successfully, if Bryant is healthy, this season could be even better.

Eventually, Bryant will succumb to the rigors of time as all players do, but 32 is not that old, and there are probably at least three more elite seasons left in Bryant's weary body.

We may have already witnessed the best from a physical standpoint that Bryant's career has to offer, but I doubt that people will be disappointed with what has yet to come.