The LOS ANGELES TIMES points out news that Kobe Bryant has a torn ligament in his finger. But the Lakers leader will forgo surgery for now.

Bryant hurt his right pinkie in a Feb. 5 game against New Jersey, and happened to re-aggravate the injury in Wednesday’s win against Minnesota. Originally diagnosed as a dislocation, further examination on Thursday revealed much more digital damage.

It was revealed that Bryant’s pinkie suffered an avulsion fracture - where a small fragment of bone is pulled off by a tendon - and a “complete tear of the radial collateral ligament.” We thought such long-named ligaments only existed in the knees & elbows.

However, if Kobe chooses to go under the knife, he could miss up to six weeks of action. So he’s gonna tough it out:

“My current thinking is to give my finger some treatment and rest for a few days, and hope I can still continue to compete at a high level after that rest. I would prefer to delay any surgical procedure until after our Lakers season, and this summer’s Olympic Games.”

Hear that? Kobe’s just not thinking of his pro team, but of the good ol’ U.S.A.! What a true American hero!

But Bryant better take care of all his fingers - especially the middle one, in case he wants to use it against Lakers management again.