New Orleans ? Wearing a black brace on his injured right hand, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant sat out the Western Conference’s light practice Saturday but still expects to start in today’s NBA All-Star game.

Bryant, the MVP in last year’s game, has a torn pinkie ligament from dislocating the finger on Feb. 5 in a game against New Jersey. Although surgery has been recommended, Bryant wants to keep playing and postpone any operation until after the Beijing Olympics in August.

While his teammates broke a sweat doing some half-speed drills and shooting during a 25-minute workout, Bryant sat on the bench. At the end of practice, Bryant heaved up one shot – left-handed.

League policy dictates that if a player is healthy enough to play in the final game before the All-Star break and the first one after, he has to play in the midseason event.