PvP » Real Salt Lake has made the playoffs the last six years, win

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Kobe Bryant is back in practice with the Los Angeles Lakers, and even the five-time NBA champion gets a charge out of getting back to work. Bryant participated in his second full workout with the Lakers at their training complex on Tuesday. He still isnt sure when hell be back in uniform, but hes grateful to take the next step in his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon. "Its always a much greater appreciation for it," Bryant said, his forehead beaded with post-practice sweat. "You understand the mortality that comes with being on that doorstep. Theres always a sense of enjoyment when you come back. ... Put the jersey on, you walk out in practice, and felt like it was 97 again and I was getting my first start as a pro." Bryant isnt setting a return date, but acknowledged he could see himself returning to the Lakers later this month. Coach Mike DAntoni said Bryant will return whenever he says hes ready, although the Lakers next game against Golden State on Friday is very unlikely. The fourth-leading scorer in NBA history hasnt played since tearing his Achilles tendon in a game against Golden State in April. He did several weeks of conditioning work before returning to practice last Saturday for a brief workout. Bryant did drills and 5-on-5 play with the Lakers on Tuesday. He says hes "pleasantly surprised" by how good he felt afterward. "I just went out there and just played," Bryant said. "Just tried to do what I normally do and figure some things out about my game, what can I do and what cant I do at this stage. Just try to figure out the route." Bryant says he could adjust his game and contribute something to the Lakers right now, but he wants to make sure hes ready to play for the long haul when he returns for his 18th NBA season. "Its definitely something where youre kind of champing at the bit a little bit, but weve come so far," he said. "I want to make sure, we all do, when you step out there youre ready to go the long haul, and its not something that continues on. ... You just have to get stronger, but I could adjust my game and play at a pretty high level right now." Bryants self-evaluation isnt about praising his strengths, such as his better-than-expected upper-body strength, but finding his weaknesses. Hes also withholding judgment until he figures out how his body responds Wednesday morning. "Youve got to be honest with yourself, and if you have those limitations, then youve got to figure out a way to be effective around those," Bryant said. "You cant be stubborn about that. If there are certain things that I used to do that I cant do now. I wont try to do them. Ive got to figure out another way." Bryants teammates were uniformly impressed with his condition and mobility in his first workouts back from a serious injury. DAntoni allows Bryant and trainer Gary Vitti to plot the superstars comeback pace, and the coach didnt encourage his players to go easy on Bryant. "They had better beat him up while they can, because when he gets better, they wont be able to," DAntoni said. "Im sure theyll take their shots early. ... Hes going to be a little rusty. Hes going to make mistakes. But if he feels good, and when he feels like, You know what? I can do this, then thats what he should do, and hes the only one that can (say) that." During his recovery, Bryant has spent plenty of time with Steve Nash, the 39-year-old point guard currently sidelined with the latest in a series of injuries. Nash is out for at least another week with nerve root irritation, a back problem stemming from a broken leg last season. Bryant and Nash intend to be back in the Lakers lineup together soon. Los Angeles is off to a 5-7 start in Bryants absence and with little help from Nash. But Bryant is impressed by his younger teammates, particularly Jordan Hill. The energetic big man has been outstanding since joining the starting lineup four games ago, capped by his career highs of 24 points and 17 rebounds in a win over Detroit last Sunday. "Weve got a bunch of competitors," Bryant said. "Weve got a bunch of guys that can step up and compete. Thats the most important thing. Weve got guys that are willing to do whatever it takes to win. Ive been extremely proud of the way weve competed." Javier Baez Jersey . The government says top golfers are expected to compete in the PGA Tour event at the Ashburn Golf Club in the suburb of Fall River from July 3-6 and again next year. Andre Dawson Jersey . -- Adrian Peterson remained in a walking boot to treat a high ankle sprain on his left leg on Wednesday, and coach Leslie Frazier said he will not play on Sunday against Atlanta if he cant hit the practice field in the next two days. http://www.thecubsteamshop.com/Cubs-Ernie-Banks-Kids-Jersey/ . On Thursday, they signed former Browns linebacker DQwell Jackson. Terms of the deal were not immediately available. Addison Russell Jersey . -- Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday for the first time in his seven-year career because of a swollen muscle in his left upper back. Joe Maddon Jersey . -- Max Domi scored twice and set up two more as the London Knights toppled the visiting Kingston Frontenacs 6-4 on Sunday in Ontario Hockey League action.TORONTO -- In playing Real Salt Lake this weekend, Toronto FC is taking on the kind of team it aspires to be -- a perennial playoff side with a winning tradition and championship character. Now in its 10th season, Real Salt Lake has made the playoffs the last six years, winning the MLS Cup in 2009. Until overtaken in the MLS record books early last year, Real Salt Lake held the league mark for consecutive home wins at 29. Rio Tinto Stadium was an impregnable fortress from June 2009 to May 2011. Toronto (2-0-0 this season) has a 1-5-0 lifetime record in Sandy, Utah. RSL (1-0-2 this season) was also the first MLS team to reach the CONCACAF Champions League final, losing to Monterrey 3-2 on aggregate in 2011. Last season Real Salt Lake made it to two finals but lost both: beaten in the MLS Cup by Sporting Kansas City in an agonizing penalty shootout and 1-0 by D.C. United in the U.S. Open Cup. There has been stability on the sidelines with Jeff Cassar, who has been with the team since May 2007, moving up the ladder to head coach last December after Jason Kreis became the first head coach of New York City FC. Cassar is the third head coach in RSL history. Toronto was on coach No. 5 in Year 4 and is currently on its eighth manager in Ryan Nelsen. RSL captain Kyle Beckerman arrived in 2007 in a trade from the Colorado Rapids. The midfielder with the distinctive dreadlocks credits coaching and a little luck for the franchises success. "We were able to get players into this team that were ready to be coached by a coach like Jason and Jeff Cassar and Robin Fraser (a former RSL assistant coach who is now with the New York Red Bulls)," he said Thursday. "It just so happened that we were able to get a group of guys together that ... really just needed a good environment -- an ownership that cared, a coaching staff that did the right thing. A lot of the guys were coming from places that didnt do the game right. "A lot of us, that core group thats still here, it was a breath of fresh air that we really needed. And we just took full advantage because we knew exactly the opportunity that was in front of us, because wed had it the opposite way, where the owner doesnt care or the coach just doesnt get it. "So I think we lucked out a little bit that we had the core in the same place, here in Salt Lake, tthat was just absolutely ready to explode and take full advantage of what was in front of us.dddddddddddd And thats what we did." The 31-year-old Beckerman is joined on the team by fellow U.S. internationals Nick Rimando (a goalie who came on board in 2007) and Luis Gil (a midfielder who joined in 2010). Other veterans include defenders Nat Borchers (2008) and Chris Wingert (2007), midfielders Ned Grabavoy (2009) and Javier Morales (2007) and forwards Robbie Findley (two stints since 2007) and Alvaro Saborio (2010). Players want to come to winning clubs. And RSL does a good job checking out new talent. "They want to bring in not only good players but good people," said Beckerman. Toronto FC has followed the same road this off-season, with marquee signings Jermain Defoe, Michael Bradley, Gilberto and Julio Cesar all fitting in. Beckerman acknowledges that he respects Torontos search for success. "The thing that I really admire about Toronto is that they wont stop. Theyve kept at it. Theyve kept trying to fix and get the right recipe. And it doesnt seem like theyre going to stop any time soon. Theyre going to keep going and keep spending until they get the right recipe. "And I admire that. Thats something a lot of other teams would love to have that. With the fan base, theyve been loyal there and theyve stuck with them through tough times. The ownership and what theyre doing there, is kind of a reward to that loyalty and giving them a successful team. "Time will tell if this is the right one. But it seems so far that theyve brought in the right players so far. So I think its definitely on the up and up over there." Like Toronto, the early days were bleak in Salt Lake. The team went 5-22-5 with just 20 points in its inaugural season in 2005. In 2005-06, the fledgling franchise endured a league-record 18-game winless streak. But it didnt take long for Real Salt Lake to turn the corner. It had 39 points in Season 2 and 40 in Season 4, going 10-10-10 and reaching the 2008 playoff semifinals. In 2009, it was another 40-point season and the 11-12-7 team went on to win the title. Since then, RSL has collected 56, 53, 57 and 56 points. In contrast, Torontos points total since entering the league in 2007 is 25, 35, 39, 35, 33, 23, and 29. The two teams meet Saturday. 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