Kobe will play in All-Star game

Despite protests by the Lakers and Kobe Bryant, NBA officials insisted that he remain in the lineup for Sunday's All-Star game, which Bryant said he would do.

According to NBA policy, any selectee who plays in his team's last game -- as Bryant did, scoring 29 points in Wednesday's win in Minnesota -- has to play in the All-Star game or sit out his team's next game.

It was after the Lakers got home Thursday that Bryant's injury, thought to be a dislocated right pinkie, was re-diagnosed as a ligament tear.

With the Lakers medical staff and management right up to owner Jerry Buss counseling Bryant to undergo surgery, which would have meant missing six weeks, Bryant made the decision to keep playing.

Bryant, the leading vote-getter in the West, attended Friday's media session with his right hand in a brace and the last two fingers splinted.

He said he knew about the league's policy and that he thought it was a bad rule but would play if he had to.

"It doesn't seem to me to make sense," said General Manager Mitch Kupchak. "I understand it's the biggest showcase of the year for the NBA and that's all of us.

"But from a general manager's point of view, looking out for the interests of our club, to me it doesn't make sense.

"The doctor examining him said, 'If you're not going to have surgery, give it time to heal.'

"Five or six days of healing are certainly better than two or three."

Not that Bryant is expected to be in harm's way for long.

The West coach is the Hornets' Byron Scott, a former Laker who was once Bryant's teammate and mentor and said he'd play Kobe as long as Kobe wants to play.

"The last thing I want to do is make the injury worse," said Scott. "I don't want to put him in any jeopardy.

"If he says, 'Give me a minute out there and take me out,' that's what I'm going to do."

mark.heisler@latimes.com