Kobe Bryant is ready to return: This season's challenge is personal

LOS ANGELES – On the eve of his first official game in more than 10 months, Kobe Bryant said the NBA shouldn't expect a diminished, lesser version of himself.

"I know what I do out there in practice every day. You guys don't see it," Bryant said after Monday's practice. "My teammates know, but you guys don't see it. You haven't seen what you'll hopefully see in the regular season."

Bryant was limited to just six games last season while he recovered from Achilles tendon surgery and a fractured left kneecap. When the Lakers open the 2014-15 season on Tuesday against the Houston Rockets, he will be playing in his first regular-season game since Dec. 17.

Bryant showed some of his old scoring ability in the final three preseason games when he averaged 26.6 points. New Lakers coach Byron Scott thinks Bryant will average between 30-40 minutes per game. Scott also isn't worried about playing him in back-to-backs.

"Every day we were waking up putting the puzzle back together," Bryant told Yahoo Sports. "It's like the house had been smashed down to rubble and you know you got to build it back up, stone by stone, brick by brick."

Regardless of how much of his greatness Bryant can recapture at age 36, he will be playing with what looks like one of the weaker supporting casts of his career.

Gone is long-time teammate Pau Gasol, who signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls last summer. Point guard Steve Nash is out for the season because of a back injury and might never play again. Guard Nick Young (thumb) is out until December and forwards Ryan Kelly (hamstring) and Xavier Henry (knee, back) and guard Wayne Ellington (concussion) will all miss opening night.

The Lakers are projected to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1974-76. Bryant declined to predict the type of season the Lakers could have, but his love for the only NBA organization he has known hasn't wavered.

"I couldn't be happier," Bryant said. "I am very fortunate. This is such an incredible organization. These types of organizations don't come around often. I feel very blessed to be able to be in one city."

Bryant is well aware of the outside skepticism. He plans to respond the only way he can.

"It's about me trying to answer this challenge, myself seeing if I can do it or can't do it," Bryant told Yahoo Sports. "I'm just kind of in enjoyment of trying to build again out of where I am now. That's really the challenge of it. What comes out of that, comes out of that.

"Whether another injury happens or Father Time catches me and sits me down remains to be seen. I'm not concerned about that. I will do what I can do and that's prepare and be ready. Now, I just got to go out there and let it flow."

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