A sneak-peak at tomorrow’s game story …

His pinky is damaged. So is his forefinger. His wrist is missing a ligament.

Overall, his right hand looks bloated and misshapen. Lately, he’s been wearing something that looks like an oven mitt on his hand for off-court protection. Against all medical odds, everything seems to be functioning properly, however.
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Kobe Bryant can still put a basketball through a hoop.

Again and again and again, as he proved while dropping a cool 48 points on the helpless Phoenix Suns during the Lakers’ electric 99-83 victory tonight in front of a sellout crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center.

“If you open him up he might be a machine, I don’t know,” Lakers coach Mike Brown said after watching Bryant score 16 of the Lakers’ final 22 points during their third consecutive victory and their fourth in their last five games.

Bryant ignited a 16-1 closing run, scoring the Lakers’ final 10 points.