5. 2008 NBA Post Season: Back Spasms
Kobe injured his back during the first quarter of the 2008 Western Conference Semifinals matchup with the Utah Jazz. Bryant was forced to gut it out throughout the remainder of the postseason.
There were times during the Jazz series that it was questionable whether or not Kobe would play, but he put all those doubts to rest when it was time for tip-off.
Bryant did use electrical stimulation during the playoffs to help him play. Anyone who has had a back injury before knows that the back needs days, if not weeks off, to recover completely. It would have been impossible for Kobe to heal his back while continuing to play
The Lakers would end up winning the series 4-2, going on to take out the San Antonio Spurs in five, only to eventually lose to Kevin Garnett and the “Big Three” Boston Celtics, a game which ended up being Kobe’s personal lowest point of his career.
Kobe would go on to play in the 2008 Summer Olympics that season with the “Redeem Team,” helping to bring a Gold Medal back to the USA. Kobe’s back ended up healing correctly, and he would go on to get revenge on those pesky Celtics in the 2010 Finals.