NBA-National Basketball Association roundup

Oct 5 (The Sports Xchange) - For the first time in nine months, Kobe Bryant played in an NBA game. It didn't matter that the future Hall of Famer's first shot clanked off the side of the backboard. Or that he shot 1-for-5. Or that he only played 12 minutes and didn't record a rebound or an assist and have one turnover. Bryant, who is entering his 20th season, hadn't played since tearing his rotator cuff on a routine dunk in January in New Orleans. And on Sunday against the Utah Jazz in a preseason game on the campus of the University of Hawaii the 37-year-old was the Lakers' starting small forward. - - Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist underwent an MRI exam that revealed he had suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder during Saturday's preseason game against the Orlando Magic, the team announced Monday. Yahoo Sports reported that Kidd-Gilchrist will require surgery and will be sidelined for six months, although the team announcement made no mention of possible surgery or how long Kidd-Gilchrist would be out. - - New Orleans Pelicans backup center Alexis Ajinca will be out from four-to-six weeks after straining his right hamstring during a preseason game. The team said Ajinca suffered the injury during the second quarter of Saturday's preseason win over the Indiana Pacers. - - Philadelphia shooting guard Nik Stauskas will miss the next two weeks because of an injury to his right tibia. The Sixers' second-year player has not scrimmaged since last week when he suffered the injury. - - Former Phoenix Suns center Neil Walk died Sunday night. He was 67. No cause of death was reported, but the Arizona Republic said Walk was in poor health for some time and had been hospitalized for "various reasons." (Editing by Frank Pingue)