Bryant had to like what team showed him

The Lakers bumped the Bobcats’ 0-7 mark one worse with an 88-77 win [on Thursday night]. The sloppy victory didn’t even require the services of Kobe Bryant, who wisely decided to give his hyperextended knee a rest rather than play in a contest with an importance factor just slightly higher than a “Great American novel” written by any cast member of “The Hills.”

But in watching Pau Gasol, Jordan Farmar and Luke Walton all with double-digit scoring (not to mention the team’s 13 steals, eight blocks, Andrew Bynum’s 10 boards, all evidence of some serious depth), Kobe had to be happy with the direction his squad is moving.