Sport
Kobe Bryant return dimmed as the LA Lakers fall to the Toronto Raptors
The Lakers never led, and the Toronto Raptors improbably snapped its 5-game losing streak despite playing without forward Rudy Gay, who is expected to be traded to Sacramento on Monday as the centerpiece of an apparent seven-player deal.
Kyle Lowry had 23 points and eight assists, and DeMar DeRozan added 10 of his 26 points in the final 4:35 of the Raptors’ first road win over the Lakers in 11 tries since December 28, 2001.
“Bryant was a little rusty, and you could tell because a lot of his shots were short,” said DeRozan, who grew up in Los Angeles watching Kobe. “We were going against him his first game back, but he’s going to get it going again and he’ll be back to the old Kobe.”
The Raptors had 11 players available after holding out Gay, center Aaron Gray and forward Quincy Acy, all set to head to the Kings in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson, John Salmons and Chuck Hayes.
The crowd roared again the first time Bryant touched the ball, and he found Robert Sacre underneath the hoop for an assist on Los Angeles’ first possession. With his wife, Vanessa, and 2 daughters sitting courtside, Bryant hit a free throw for his first point in the second quarter, followed shortly by an 8-foot, double-pump, left-handed bank shot for his first field goal.
Bryant added a signature 22-foot face-up jumper later in the period, but also showed clear signs of rust and unfamiliarity with his new teammates.
“We are going to have to carry Kobe a little bit, because of course he’s not 100 percent, not in game shape,” said Xavier Henry, who scored 17 points. “It’s going to be fun. It’s a long year, and he’s just getting back.”
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press
