Lakers’ Kobe Bryant: ‘It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was’

Los Angeles Lakers’ guard Kobe Bryant returned to the court on Sunday night. He played 28 minutes, scored nine points on two-of-nine shooting, turned the ball over eight times, had eight rebounds, dished out four assists and had two steals in a 106-94 home loss to the Toronto Raptors.

Obviously, that isn’t the way Bryant wanted to start his season and he said as much after the game. Bryant gave his performance an “F,” but after watching film and thinking about it, he improved that grade to a “D.”

“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was,” Bryant told Dave McMenamin after practice Monday. The turnovers and things like that, a lot of it was just mistiming. I made some pretty good reads, I got my guys some pretty good looks. In terms of a floor game, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was.”

Bryant also discussed what he had to to show improvement.

“The process is just getting those games in and getting that basketball rhythm,” Bryant said. “That’s why we have preseason. I’ve always had sucky preseasons. Always. It’s just a matter of building your legs, finding your rhythm. Now, there’s a little more pressure than there is in preseason games, so it requires a bit more work from me in-between games to get ready.”