Kobe Bryant

It was a simple basketball move, Kobe Bryant spinning toward the basket, dribbling hard to his left. Legendary careers are not supposed to finish this way, but when the Lakers guard collapsed on the floor, clutching his leg, fans may have witnessed the passing of an era. Or, at least, the beginning of the end for an athlete who has dominated professional basketball for almost two decades. "We're talking about a unique competitive spirit," said Jeff Van Gundy, a former NBA coach who is an ESPN analyst.

Kobe Bryant wasn't at Staples Center for obvious reasons Sunday. But his prerecorded message to teammates hung in the air of the Lakers' locker room after their 91-86 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. It can't be printed here, the curse words definitely of the stronger variety, but Bryant's appeal was delivered Saturday by a 30-second video recorded on General Manager Mitch Kupchak's cellphone. Kupchak visited him earlier that day before Bryant underwent surgery for a torn left Achilles' tendon.

Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak was clear Saturday that the team has no intention to use their one-time amnesty on Kobe Bryant. "That's not even something that we've discussed," Kupchak said. "That's the furthest thing from our mind right now. " Bryant, who tore his left Achilles' tendon Friday night, underwent surgery Saturday and is projected to be out for a minimum of six to nine months. Between July 10 and 17, the Lakers can amnesty a single player who was under contract before the 2011-12 season.

The doctor who performed surgery on Kobe Bryant's ruptured Achilles' tendon said he expects the Lakers star to be back playing at some point next season. Speaking exclusively to The Times, Dr. Neal ElAttrache said Sunday that Bryant's competitive drive and mental toughness will give him an edge in recovering from an injury that figures to sideline him at least six to nine months. “I can point to all of the scientific aspects of the repair, but just as important if not more important is, who is that Achilles attached to?

When: 6:30. Where: Staples Center. On the air: TV: TWC SportsNet, TWC Deportes; Radio: 710, 1330. Records: Lakers 43-37, Spurs 58-21. Record vs. Spurs: 0-2. Update: The Spurs have struggled lately, going 5-5 as injuries sidelined Tony Parker (neck and ankle) and Manu Ginobili (hamstring). Parker, though, returned Friday and had 22 points and 10 assists in a 108-101 victory over Sacramento. The Spurs are half a game behind Oklahoma City for the best record in the Western Conference.

TV cameramen yelled and cursed at each other as dozens of reporters scrambled to get an interview with Gary Vitti. It's never a good sign if the longtime Lakers trainer is the target of a media crush, but somebody had to provide medical details Saturday of the hard news: Kobe Bryant is sidelined six to nine months because of a torn left Achilles' tendon. NBA teams begin playing around Oct. 31, meaning Bryant theoretically could be back in time for the start of next season. "I think that's a realistic goal for him," Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said.

Kobe Bryant is certain that he tore his left Achilles' tendon. He'll undergo an MRI exam on Saturday, but the Lakers' All-Star guard is expected to be out with what appears to be a devastating injury. "It's a new experience for me," said Bryant, who was on crutches after the Lakers' 118-116 victory over the Golden State Warriors. "Obviously there have been a bunch of players that have had the same injury. All I can do is look at them, see what they've done and see who had more success coming back quicker and healthier.

To loosely paraphrase Newton's laws of motion, for every NBA postseason award there is an equal and opposite honor. So in addition to LeBron James as the game's best player, may we humbly submit DeSagana Diop as its worst? The Charlotte Bobcats center has somehow appeared in 22 games this season, making one start, despite averaging 0.7 points and making a robust 29.6% of his shots. If he played 36 minutes per game at his current production level, he would still average only 2.5 points.

The Times' Lakers beat reporter Mike Bresnahan looks at some key questions as Kobe Bryant and the Lakers deal with the superstar's recovery following surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles' tendon. 1. How realistic is it that Kobe Bryant will be back in six to nine months, which is the Lakers' official timetable? I'd say closer to nine months than six. Put him down for a return right around Christmas. He'll be the first to let me know if I'm wrong. 2. If the Lakers make the playoffs, how far can they go without Bryant?

Earlier this season, when Kobe Bryant was in the middle of a mindless streak during which he played at least 40 minutes in 10 consecutive games, his coach could only laugh about it. "I told him they'll put a statue of him at Staples [Center] but it might be literally me riding him to death," said Mike D'Antoni at the time. "They might just take him off the floor and bronze him right there. So be it. We need a win. " Earlier this month, when Kobe Bryant was in the middle of a streak of seven consecutive 40-minute games, his general manager could only shake his head.