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Metta World Peace: “Kobe is the main reason why I’ve worked so hard”

HONOLULU — The sequence hardly looked peaceful.

In an image that he once displayed in countless Lakers playoff and regular season games, Metta World Peace wasted no time in his preseason debut on Tuesday against Utah addressing questions about his durability and effectiveness. The former Ron Artest swiped the ball out of his opponent’s hands. He pursued the ball by diving over the Lakers’ bench. And World Peace instantly caught the attention of one certain teammate whose presence has significantly influenced his mindset on successfully returning to the NBA.

“Very impressed,” Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said. “It felt like old times of he and I getting after it.