Tonight marked the first time in over a year that Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash played together with the Los Angeles Lakers. Both looked impressive as the Lakers got a 98-95 win in their first preseason game over the Denver Nuggets.
— Have You Seen These LIMITED EDITION “Mamba Strikes Back” T-Shirts? —
Both Kobe and Nash played limited minutes but looked effective, particularly on offense. In his post-game press conference, Bryant noted how easy it is to play with Nash according to our own Serena Winters:
Kobe Bryant on playing with Steve Nash again: "effortless to play with him, pretty easy."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) October 7, 2014
Bryant totaled 13 points and five assists in only 21 minutes, while Nash added 11 points and five assists in 20 minutes. Their performance gave fans everywhere reason for optimism.
Nash had some excellent moments getting to the basket with ease at times and finishing in classic Nash style, while Kobe hit a couple of signature fadeaway jumpers and looked like his old self.
If both players can maintain their level of play, it raises the Lakers potential exponentially. Bryant and Nash’s ability to elevate each other and the rest of the team is evident.
One area where the two will have to clean up is on the defensive end as they struggled to contain penetration and keep guards out of the paint. Regardless of that, the first preseason game was a success and those two were a major reason why.
[divide]Lakers Practice: Kobe Bryant Reacts To Nick Young’s Injury