Lakers Practice Report: Kobe Bryant Returns To Practice For First Time

Prior to tip-off against the Memphis Grizzlies last night, head coach Mike D’Antoni said that while Kobe Bryant is progressing well, he doesn’t think he’ll be back by Thanksgiving.

Since that was the first update in at least a week, many were wondering if Bryant had possibly suffered a setback. With the players having some doubts of their own after a 89-86 loss, the Lakers returned to practice on Saturday with a familiar face on the court.

After seven long months, Kobe made his return to the Lakers’ practice court via Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski:

While the practice only consisted of 5 on 0 drills, strategy work, and shooting, it clearly lifted the entire team’s spirits including Pau Gasol:

While the Lakers have lost four of their last five games, Jodie Meeks has played well in Bryant’s absence and said that the five-time champion was able to cut and jump:

The Lakers are currently 4-7 this season and have three games remaining in this four-game homestand. With the team preparing for the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, the entire Lakers team received a much needed boost from just seeing their leader back on the court.

While there isn’t a set date on when Bryant will actually make his highly-anticipated regular season return, this was an important first step.
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Lakers Lose To Memphis Grizzlies: Game Recap and Player Of The Game, Jodie Meeks With 25 Points

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