Ever since he announced it in a Facebook video Friday, the return of Kobe Bryant to the NBA has been one of the most anticipated returns in the past few seasons.
Although he did not look completely like vintage Kobe, which was expected considering that he tore his Achilles last season, Bryant did look decent in his season debut.
He compiled nine points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals, in addition to an uncharacteristic eight turnovers on the night.
Shooting-wise, Bryant went two for nine, although the two shots he did make looked like flashes of the aforementioned vintage Kobe. His first make was a double pump fake shot off the backboard, and his second one was his patented 20-foot faceup jumpshot.
As for the turnovers, in my opinion most of those would go to him adjusting to the speed of a regular season game and I feel the turnover rate will decrease with the more games he plays.
Concerning the rest of the game, the Lakers looked rather disjointed in the second half, particularly defensively and making good shots. While Los Angeles did have a few bright spots, they never led in the game as they fell to the Toronto Raptors 106-94.
The prevailing thought at the end of the night? Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are still a work in progress.