He's back...well, sort of.

After eight long months of anticipation, one of the all-time greats returned to the NBA on Sunday as Kobe Bryant once again laced up his sneakers for the Los Angeles Lakers in front of 18,997 in attendance at the Staples Center. With the Lakers' season firmly in the hands of the 15-time NBA All-Star, the Lakers star aimed to please in his return from Achilles surgery in his left leg. But while Kobe might be back on the court, it was clear after 28 minutes of limited play that the 2008 NBA MVP is still way off from assuming the playing prowess that made him become known as one of the NBA's most feared and revered superstars.

Bryant's shooting stroke abandoned him in the Lakers' 106-94 loss to the Toronto Raptors at the Staples Center, Bryant shooting 2-for-9 from the field with only nine points, the majority of which he earned thanks to free throws (he hit 5-of-7 from the line). His trademark explosiveness to the basket was also missing, indicating that Bryant might still be a little hesitant to go all out after returning from Achilles surgery. And he was clearly rusty handling the ball, turning the ball over eight times.

After the game, Bryant himself admitted that his quest to get back into game shape-beyond that, Black Mamba shape, the shape that has terrorized the NBA since he arrived on the scene in 1996-was still a work in progress.

"My rhythm is completely out of sync," Bryant told ESPN. "But this is a start, and I guess a start is good."

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However, there were a few bright spots in the loss. And from the highs to the lows, LatinoPost.com breaks down the return of the "Black Mamba" Kobe Bryant, as well as the outlook for the rest of the season for one of the greatest basketball players of his generation:

Low Lights

If we're going straight by the numbers, and a little beyond that, the man that wore No.24 for the Lakers Sunday was Kobe Bryant only in name. The stats line reads clear for Bryant: nine points, 2-for-9 field goal shooting for a 22.2 shooting percentage, 0-for-3 from three-point range, four assists and eight turnovers in 28 minutes of action. A far cry from Bryant's career numbers of 25.5 points, 45.4 percent field goal shooting and 3.0 turnovers.

You could tell in his eyes that inside, he was still the same Kobe Bryant that has compiled a hardware list that could make The Home Depot jealous: that's 9 All-Defensive 1^st Team selections, 11 All-NBA 1^st Team appearances, four NBA All-Star Game MVP trophies, 2 NBA Finals MVP awards, the 2007-08 NBA MVP title, five NBA world titles and two Olympic gold medals. The problem was, however, that on the outside, there were clearly a few issues.

Normally aggressive, Bryant, who attempts a career 19.6 shots each game, was noticeably tepid in his first game back, shooting the ball only nine times. More often than not, Kobe opted to go for more passes rather than take matters into his own hands. And while he came out of that with four assists, his passing and handling of the ball was noticeably sloppy, very uncharacteristic of him. By Bryant's own admission, he "failed miserably" when it came to protecting the ball, something that he must work at consistently as he will surely get the lion's share of possessions as he normally does when the offense runs through him. He also needs at least a month before he gets used to the offensive sets and develops that crucial chemistry with his teammates, knowing each player's strengths and where they like to set up around the basket. The timing of his normally lethal shooting was off, several of the seven missed shots he took looking short and wayward. For Bryant, that is the issue he must fix more than all others. Although there were some encouraging signs of his old athleticism present, Bryant could eventually come to rely more on his jumper rather than his drive, much as Jordan did in the latter half of his career. Unlike Jordan, however, Bryant is coming off a serious leg injury, and we don't know yet whether Bryant's legs will be able to handle the strain of 30 to 40 minutes of basketball, as he played last season. For that reason, his shot timing becomes an imperative issue to fix.

High Points

Whether it was the injury or an uneasy mindset regarding his ability to take over a game as in years past, Bryant was noticeably getting his teammates more involved in the offense. Opting to help set up teammates for a strong finish at the basket, Bryant was engaging his teammates in their offensive sets, a good sign that he is perhaps looking to help his teammates maximize their potential on offense. And with the dangerous reputation that Bryant wields on the offensive side of the ball, he can create a lot of opportunities for his other teammates.

Another good sign, the most crucial sign, was in his legs. Lakers fans were probably fearing that this comeback could end as disastrously as Derrick Rose's failed comeback attempt did after the former league MVP tore his right meniscus, ending his very short NBA season. But late in the first quarter, Bryant crossed to his right side against Toronto's Landry Fields, leaving Fields stymied while Bryant breezed past him for an assist. It was a few hairs slower than the speed and penetration that we have seen Bryant capable of when he cuts into the lane, but with a little more time to get his legs under him, that speed could return. The key thing is that he's still able to do it, which speaks volumes of how far Bryant has come since that fateful April 12 game against Atlanta when his Achilles tendon was torn.

And let's not forget the key high point-the mere fact that he's back. Without Bryant, the Lakers are a team that barely had a shot of making the playoffs. With Bryant there, the same man that virtually willed a struggling Lakers squad into the postseason last spring, the Lakers get back one of the all-time true "gamers," a man who expects to win and demands excellence from not only himself, but those around him. Simply put, Kobe makes them all better, which is the mark of a true legend.

What is the Future of Bryant and the Lakers?

Honestly, the above question is a bit of a grey area. Last year, as the Lakers were tailspinning wildly out of control for much of the regular season, a lot of us were reading the Lakers their last rights in terms of making the playoffs. But what happened? Bryant ended up putting the team on his back and helped carry them not only into the playoffs, but the seventh seed in the Western Conference, vaulting past a younger Houston Rockets team with James Harden.

Is Bryant going to lead the Lakers to the title? Odds are, probably not, not with this roster, which is a shell of the talented teams of 2009 and 2010 NBA championship teams. But one thing is for sure: with Bryant around, the Western Conference is on notice that the Lakers are back. And they are not to be taken lightly.