KOBE BRYANT Takes Shot to the Wrist To Numb Injury Pain

Kobe Bryant isn't talking about his injury and how it affected his performance Sunday night against Denver -- he scored only 16 points -- however we found out he was in such agony, the team doctor gave him an injection in his wrist to numb the pain, but it hardly worked.

Kobe tore a ligament in his right wrist during the first pre-season game against the Clippers. Sources connected to the team tell TMZ ... the pain has been excruciating. Our sources say he's gotten a numbing shot before each game since the injury, and as a result the pain was tolerable during play. But we're told the shot did almost nothing Sunday night, and as one source put it, "It was a miracle that he even played."

Our Lakers sources tell us ... in addition to the numbing shots, Kobe's regimen is now to play with a cast, get physical therapy after each game and wear a flexible cast at all times off the court.

One source put it this way ... "If it was anyone else but Kobe, if they did play they'd come up goose eggs on the scoreboard. It's incredible he's playing at all."