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And hopefully, a look ahead as well.

It feels like about 1976 since Kobe Bryant last missed a game due to injury, but in reality, it's been a still-impressive Dec. 8, 2006. And upon returning -- oddly enough, from a sprained ankle-- in a 106-99 win over the San Antonio Spurs, Kobe barely missed a beat over 39 minutes.

34 points on 13-of-25 shooting. Eight rebounds. A quartet of makes from behind the arc. Three steals. An assist. Very little to sneeze at it.

For that matter, his teammates' contributions required no "Gesundheit."

Lamar Odom fell one assist shy of trip-dubbing 18 points and 11 rebounds. Luke Walton scored 17 points. Double-digit scoring was spread out among the remaining starters, as Kwame Brown chipped in 11 while doing his part to limit Tim Duncan to just nine shots and Smush Parker added another 10 (plus three steals). A very young Andrew Bynum notched six points and eight rebounds and a rookie Jordan Farmar dished four assists, both playing off the bench in under 20 minutes. And as described in our postgame report from the "old" blog, terrific D all around, highlighted by a third quarter Odom deemed "the best defensive quarter that I've ever played as a Laker."

Also impressive? The 106-95 win against Atlanta two days prior sans the Mamba's services, also secured through team-wide contributions.

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Kobe Bryant's passing of Jerry West as the Lakers' all-time leading scorer will be forever a part of franchise lore. But as is often the case with The Mamba, the milestone wasn't reached without some controversy attached.

The accompanying loss featured Bryant taking 28 of the team's 73 total shots, indicative of an effort with few players making presences felt. Basically, you had Kobe, Ron Artest (15 points on nine shots) and... well... that's about it. The Lakers often appeared unsure whether the goal was to run the triangle or get Kobe a record, and Phil Jackson said at halftime to "get (Kobe) over the hump" so they could start "playing team ball." Obviously, the objective never came to pass.

PODCAST
Andy and Brian break down a "so-so" eight game road trip, and look forward to a brutal February schedule. Plus, is Kobe Bryant overshooting? Have the Lakers lost their balance? Podcast

You've already heard Gasol and Derek Fisher discuss the importance of playing inside-out and offensive balance. You've heard Phil offer a further two cents. With those shmoes accounted for, you can now get the perspective that really moves the needle:

Ours.

-(1:45) Brian and I deem the 5-3 roadie solid enough, but felt it featured little truly great ball, a microcosm of the season as a whole thus far. Is this a sign of problems to come? Brian is a little more concerned than me about the lack of focus and execution, but even as somebody with no need to see January games approached like Gladiators fighting for their lives, I agree "fun time" is more or less done. Time to start the process of clicking.

-With that in mind, we discuss the question of offensive balance (11:57). The happy medium between Kobe making his presence felt and everyone else chipping. What constitutes "too many shots" for Kobe, particularly with a bad hand and this many weapons at the Lakers' disposal? Is there controversy brewing in the locker room?

All that, plus a prog-rock reference! While his ability to inspire wayward youth may fall short of Gene Krupa's, does any lyricist in music history make us think like Neil Peart?