Los Angeles Lakers star guard Kobe Bryant turned back the hands of time last Sunday when they dominated Israeli team Maccabi Haifa 126–83 to win their first preseason game of 2015.
Before the victory, the Lakers lost back-to-back to the Utah Jazz in Hawaii and when they returned to the United States taking on the Toronto Raptors, they were handed their third consecutive defeat.
In their win, which broke a three-game losing slump, Bryant starred scoring 21 points, one rebound, one assist, and one steal in 19 minutes of action.
Bryant also shot well from three-point territory making four-of-six shots to go six-of-ten in the entire game.
"We try to keep him below the 3-point line. But when he's scoring it like he was tonight, he obviously has the capability of being able to step out there as well," Lakers head coach Byron Scott said of Bryant's performance, according to the Associated Press.
"He looks better and better. His timing looks great, his movement looks great, and he just looks so much more fluid right now. He says he feels great, so right now we'll keep staying the course," Scott added.
Along with Bryant, six other Lakers scored in double digits and these were Nick Young (16 points), Ryan Kelly (15 points), Julius Randle (14 points), Lou Williams (13 points), Tarik Black (12 points), and Jordan Clarkson (10 points).
The Lakers are hoping the win will give them momentum in their next preseason games until the 2015–16 regular season.
Bryant, together with a mix of young talents and veterans, will try to return to the playoffs after missing it in the past two seasons, which included last season when they finished with a franchise-worst 21–61 record.
The Lakers will open the 2015–16 season on Oct. 28 taking on another team that struggled last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are also coming in with a team built with veterans and budding players.
