Perhaps Kobe Bryant is grading himself on a curve.
The superstar made a brief return to the court and played for 12 minutes during the Lakers' 90-71 loss to the Jazz at the University of Hawaii on Sunday. It was the five-time NBA champion's first in-game action since he tore his rotator cuff in January, marking the third straight season that ended prematurely for the veteran due to injury.
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But in his return to the court Sunday, Bryant was anything but sharp -- even for a preseason game. The 17-time All-Star went one-for-five in shooting and nailed down five points in his short-lived comeback to the court. Bryant missed his first two shots and connected on just one of his following three attempts.
Bryant, who has hinted at this being his last season, sarcastically told reporters he would hold a "B average" when grading himself for this coming campaign the Los Angeles Times reports, but judging by his output Sunday, that may be very generous.
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Then again, the superstar is still trying to get his rhythm and timing back, but it has to be encouraging for the Lakers that he felt good after his limited outing Sunday in the exhibition opener.
"[I] feel strong," Bryant told the L.A. Times. "I don't feel tired at all. It's just getting timing down. Getting acclimated to that again."
Bryant has plenty of time to get acclimated as the Lakers don't open up the 2015-16 schedule until Oct. 28 when they host the Timberwolves on Opening Night. Los Angeles still has seven more preseason games to get everything sorted out.
One can't look too much into preseason games, but if Sunday is any indication, the Lakers picked up right where they left off last season. Byron Scott's group lost by 19 points in their first action since setting a new franchise-low by finishing 21-61 in 2014-15.
It begs the question of how Bryant would grade the group as a whole after last year's debacle. If his attitude toward himself is any indication, last year's group passed with flying colors.
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