<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">After a decade of watching Kobe Bryant on a basketball court, I thought I had seen it all. I've watched him act surreal. I've watched him act supernatural. I've watched him act scatterbrained. I've watched him act selfish. But, three games into his rushed return this fall, I'm watching what might be Kobe Bryant's most eye-popping performance of all. I'm watching him act human. Tuesday night, first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves, lights down, stars out, crowd oohing. Kobe throwing up an off-balance air ball. Kobe throwing up a layup with his feet seemingly stuck to the hardwood. Kobe trying to make a move on overmatched Trenton Hassell but stumbling and knocking the rock out of bounds. "It's the new ball!" shout some fans. "It's the new ball!" No, it's the new Kobe. Trying to come back on a surgically repaired right knee that clearly isn't ready. Working though training camp kinks amid regular-season expectations. Undergoing what should be a private rehabilitation under national scrutiny. Unafraid to damage his reputation or scoring average. Losing himself in the team. "Maybe a few years ago, I might have looked at things different," Bryant said this week after practice. "But it's not about me. It's about us." He's said this before. He's never shown it like he's showing it now. Can you imagine one of the NBA's highest-flying players unafraid to play on a knee still so weak, that last week one of his dunk attempts was blocked by the rim? "Yeah, man, that stunk, but sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself," he said about the play against Seattle. "My teammates are still giving me grief about that one." Can you imagine one of the NBA's quickest players unashamed to play on reflexes so rusty, a drive to the basket can look like a run through quicksand?</div> Source
LA Times as usual. What a surprise! Lets relax its only been three games and like Kobe said this is like his preseason. Wait 15 games when he'll start tearing things up again.
