Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin both had strong debuts in the 2014 NBA preseason, helping the Los Angeles Lakers escape with a 98-95 win against the Denver Nuggets on Monday at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.
Bryant, who is working his way back to shape after missing almost the entire 2013-14 NBA season due to a knee injury, finished with 13 points to go along with five assists and two rebounds.
The 36-year-old superstar, who played in his first game in a Lakers jersey since December 17, impressed fans with his wide array of moves, playing like he is not coming off two straight major injuries.
"He just looked like Kobe," Lakers coach Byron Scott said of Bryant's performance via Los Angeles Times. "The way he was moving, the way he was able to do that patented fall-away, take advantage of his length and his size against some of the guys that they had on him."
Lin, who was acquired in an offseason trade with Houston Rockets, also had an impressive night against the Nuggets on Monday despite failing to score a field goal.
Lin finished with just one point, but dished out 10 assists to his teammates and was instrumental in controlling the pace of the game into the Lakers' liking.
"I just want to figure out how I can bring my strengths and apply it best to this system," Lin said via Lakers Nation. "It's kind of like a chess match in learning and figuring it out. I think I'm more prepared for it just having gone through my time in Houston, and playing off the ball and learning different ways to try to be effective."
Steve Nash, who only played in 15 games last season due to various injuries, also showed positive signs in his return as he finished with 11 points and five assists in just 20 minutes of playing time.
Rookie guard Jordan Clarkson also turned heads with his performance as he ended up with 14 points and five rebounds, while fellow freshman Julius Randle, the seventh overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Lakers.
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