'Kobe the Scorer' becomes 'Kobe the Passer'

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AP Basketball Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - One of the game's most aggressive shooters is trying a new approach to jumpstart the struggling Los Angeles Lakers.

A newly pass-happy Kobe Bryant is looking to pull the Lakers out of a tailspin that stretched for the first three months of the season. After posting double-digit assists just once in his first 42 games, Bryant is averaging 11.2 assists over the last five, a stretch that has produced four victories to offer some hope that all is not lost.

Bryant says he's discovering that there are more ways to dominate the game on offense than just by scoring. And the Lakers are reaping the benefits.