Kobe Bryant's toughness is not and never really has been in question. The Los Angeles Lakers icon has played injured on many occasions, often appearing to sacrifice his long-term health for a better chance at regular-season wins. If there were any remaining questions about his tolerance for pain, Kobe answered them in April 2013 after he shot two free throws a few seconds after snapping his Achilles tendon against the Golden State Warriors. Normal players would not even contemplate continuing, even in a dead-ball situation. That well-established reputation both does and doesn't explain Kobe's decision to play hurt during Wednesday night's Lakers game at the New Orleans Pelicans. With a few minutes left in the third quarter, Kobe went up for a dunk and finished. On his way up the court, though, he grabbed his right shoulder and left the game soon after. [ Follow Dunks Don't Lie on Tumblr: The best slams from all of basketball ] Most athletes would have stayed on the bench in such a situation, particularly with the Lakers not putting up much of a challenge to the Pelicans midway through the fourth quarter. However, with five minutes left and the Lakers down 88-75, Bryant reentered...