After eight agonizing months, Los Angeles Lakers fans finally got their wish as 15-time All-Star Kobe Bryant was back on the NBA hardwood Sunday.
Only, the return never really matched the pregame hype. Bryant looked like a 35-year-old that hadn't played an NBA game for nearly a year.
Because that's who he is. That's precisely what happened. And that's probably how he'll continue to look as he attempts to shake off eight months of rust and ward off the still-undefeated Father Time in his climb back up the NBA rankings.
Forget the superhuman efforts he's shown in the past; Bryant bleeds red just like the rest of us. His injury was serious. His road to recovery remains a steep uphill hike.
Those next-level efforts may still be in the cards. For now, though, there are smaller, more pressing challenges for the former MVP to overcome.
Finding a Rhythm
Count Bryant among the many who were less than impressed by his 2013-14 debut. Clearly, this wasn't the introduction he'd envisioned.
His Lakers suffered a 106-94 loss to the undermanned Toronto Raptors. Vino l ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Zach Buckley
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