Kobe Bryant Full Highlights vs. Denver Nuggets (Video)

It wasn’t quite as anticipated as his return last season from the Achilles injury, but fans were treated with an old-school, vintage performance from Kobe Bryant in his first unofficial game this season. Against the Nuggets in the preseason opener, Bryant dazzled the crowd and Nuggets themselves with his footwork, fall-aways, and flashy assists.

Here’s a look at the full highlights:

Naturally, Bryant’s first bucket came on his patented fadeaway, which he hit many times on the night and it didn’t appear like that shot had changed one bit through his two injuries. More encouraging for Lakers fans was his willingness and success in setting up teammates, finishing with five assists in just 20 minutes of action. We saw a little return of the Magic Mamba from last season.

This will certainly be a focal point for the Lakers, who are going to lean heavily on Bryant this year. Can he continue to produce at this level? Only time will tell!

Do you think this was a sign of things to come for the Lakers? Or was it a “fluke” performance at the beginning of a long season? Let us know down below!