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To hear everybody talk, Kobe Bryant was 26 years old, not 36. He was merely coming off a bruised thigh and scratched elbow, not a torn Achilles' tendon and fractured knee.

The Lakers didn't do any scrimmaging Tuesday, but Bryant made an impact while practicing for 2 hours 15 minutes, his first official action since playing only six games last season.

He had to be asked to leave the court. For his own sake.

"Basically, I had to ask Kobe to, you know, 'Why don't you shut it down? We've got another one tomorrow,'" Lakers Coach Byron Scott said, encouraging Bryant to sit out end-of-practice conditioning.



Bryant said he felt like himself, adding, "and that's a good thing."

He also gave Scott quite a distinction after the coach's first training camp began with the Lakers.

"It's probably the most running I've...

"It was day two of training camp and Kobe Bryant was already tired.

Not physically. Just tired of all the questions.

He chided reporters for asking variations of the same subject Wednesday after he completed his first scrimmage.

How do you feel? How is your stamina? Your lift? Your conditioning?

He said "I'm fine" nine times in 10 minutes, sticking close to a monotone for the most part. It's obvious he's ready for the games, even though they're only exhibitions for a while and they don't start until next Monday against Denver.



"I am what I am right now. I don't know how to best say that, but I'm me," he said.

Bryant made a jumper near the free-throw line early in the 12-minute, full-court scrimmage that was open to the media, and then drew oohs from a handful of Lakers scouts after hitting a turnaround from...

How many wins do the Lakers pick up this season?

I haven't run my projections, so an official answer comes later. 44 is the number for now.

I know we all are excited to see what Randle does with this team, but there's a LOT of new faces here. Clarkson, Lin, Boozer, Davis, even Price and Ellington. While Randle is our most highly touted addition because of where we got him in the draft, he might not even be the new Laker that plays the most for us this year.

Randle figures to fight for minutes in a pretty crowded back court. He showed some incredible strength and surprising speed/quickness in the Summer League. He showed good poise and recognition at times too. However, he also showed that he can be out of control on occasion.

Lin might end up with the most opportunity with Nash's (and Kobe's) recent injury issues. He's been around the block and then around the other block and now finds himself back where he started: earning his playing time. How far will he get?

Clarkson might be the most intriguing prospect we have. Drafted late by the Wizards and traded to us, not many Laker fans new much about him. Since then...

I am amped for this new season. Only two seasons in recent memory have had me as pumped. The year Phil took over for the first time, and the year Pau was starting his first full season with the team.

This year:

The Kobe saga coming back from 2 devastating injuries.
The Byron Scott reclamation project from the disaster that our coaching has been.
The Nash desperation last season of hope against hope that he can stay healthy.
The Linsanity.
The Young Guns = Randle + Clarkson.
The Castoffs = everyone else on the roster.

Soooo much to look forward to. It can't be worse than last year. It HAS to be better.