By now you know Kobe's injured pinkie finger will require surgery at some point. Doctors are recommending it be operated on now, or in lieu of surgery, several days of rest.

Kobe has decided to put off surgery and try to get some rest for his finger. But the NBA won't let him rest over all-star weekend without the team paying a steep price:

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.

Lakers' GM Mitch Kupchak had this reaction:

"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."

Byron Scott, who will be coaching the West squad, said he'll play Kobe as much or as little as KB wants:

"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."

Get complete All-Star coverage right here.