Erratic Lakers eagerly await return of ace closer Bryant

Bryant's steel

Kobe Bryant grimaces after being injured during the Lakers game against Golden State Warriors on April 12, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

Though several backup Lakers players such as Meeks,Jordan Hill, Xavier Henry and Nick Young have all flourished at times this season, D'Antoni knows the team have badly missed the steel, late points and sheer grit provided by Bryant.

"He's a presence, no doubt, and we need that presence, especially at the end of games," D'Antoni said of the Lakers, who are 5-7 this season and occupy 12th place in the 15-team Western Conference.

"But we've got games to win and there's going to be a bunch of them before he comes back, so we're going to have to do our business."

Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, may be well short of game fitness at the moment but he certainly impressed his teammates with his practice form over the weekend.

"He looked real good," Hill said of Bryant, after pouring in a career-high 24 points and 17 rebounds in the Lakers' 114-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

"He was going real hard. I thought he wasn't going to be able to go that hard but he was really pushing it. I know he's not ready yet but he's coming along and he should be ready pretty soon."

Spanish forward Pau Gasol agreed.

"He looked good and did a few moves I didn't expect him to do right away," said Gasol. "I'm very happy for him and for us, and definitely looking forward to when he'll play in a game."

As for Bryant, he was happy enough with his overall shape during the drills.

"The fade-away still works, the ball-handling and being able to post," he told NBA TV. "Those are things that I can do right now. But it's not the playoffs, thank God."

The Lakers, whose next game is against the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles on Friday, have not yet laid out a timetable for the likely return of their most influential player.