If you can't tell this is all a PR move, then I feel pity for you.
To wit:
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12...pretending-now
This is now being stated as fact by the press, which in itself is hilarious. Kobe's been doing this warrior facade since 2005, always saying how tough he is without saying how tough he is by relying on the press to do it. It's like he's the only player in the history of the league who plays with these little nicks and pain. Duncan is 38 years old, you think he is pain free the whole year and not tired in the playoffs? Manu is 36 with a lot of miles on him, but you NEVER hear about what a warrior they are. Robinson played with hip pointers the later half of his career guarding Shaq 1 on 1 in the paint and was called soft, Duncan played on two swollen ankles for half a year + playoffs in 2005 to a le, and yet nobody ever talks about Duncan being tough.
Doc Rivers spat a tooth out and continued playing in the playoffs. That's tough. John Starks snapped his finger back in place after dislocating it in a game, that's tough. Spreading rumors about playing with an injury all season long whenever he plays poorly, and then suddenness being fine when he strung together a few good games is not. There are no solid stats on these things, because there just can't be, but there are clear patterns built up over a decade. It's clear to anyone except the most delusional Kobestans.
BTW, just because something is not backed up by stats doesn't mean it's wrong.