Report: Bryant will play in All-Star Game

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant will play in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game despite an injured right pinkie, the Lakers said Friday.

The team said Bryant would play so he could avoid missing the Lakers first game following the All-Star break. NBA policy requires any player selected who plays in his team's last game before break to appear in the All-Star Game or sit out his team's next game, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

Bryant, who received more All-Star votes than any other Western Conference player, played for the Lakers Wednesday in Minnesota, but did not learn until after the team returned home from a long road trip that he had torn a ligament in the finger. Initially, Bryant and the Lakers had thought the pinkie was dislocated.

Team medical personnel and management have urged Bryant to undergo surgery, which would put him out of action for about six weeks, but Bryant has decided to keep playing.

Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak told the Times the doctor who examined Bryant told him if he was not going to have surgery, he should give the injury time to heal.

West Coach Byron Scott told the newspaper he would play Bryant Sunday as much as Bryant wants to play.