NEW ORLEANS -- He lost another season here, the third straight, almost a year ago exactly. Kobe Bryant returned Thursday for the first time since that January 2015 night, and he came with purpose.
“I want to get back out on this court and play and play well and try to exorcise those demons a little bit,” the Los Angeles Lakers star said.
In a 99-96 win over the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center, Bryant achieved his goal, scoring 27 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in his third straight turn-back-the-clock performance.