A Kobe Bryant who lets an almost certain victory slip away without even mustering a whimper is a defeated Kobe Bryant.

A Kobe Bryant who scores just eight points after the first quarter is a surrendering Kobe Bryant.

A Kobe Bryant who doesn't attempt a free throw or even go near the lane as if he's suddenly allergic to paint is a Kobe Bryant who is resigned.

Has Kobe Bryant completely given up on a Lakers team clearly on a collision course with stinking, rotten mediocrity? That certainly seemed to be the case last week when Bryant sat idly by in shocking losses to Utah (a rout) and Orlando (a collapse).

Everyone has their theories on Bryant's level of commitment to this Lakers team. Every expression is judged and every quote is dissected in hopes of shedding some light on whether Bryant has already pulled the chute on the season.

It was downright shocking to see Bryant do so little Sunday night to keep his Lakers from losing 104-97. His 19-point first quarter was the stuff of legends with four 3-pointers and a three-point play to boot. But after that, his focus seemed to stray and his desire seemed to wane. Bryant didn't attempt a 3-pointer or a free throw in the final quarter leaving most at Staples Center – Phil Jackson, included – to wonder if Bryant was mentally disengaged.

"I don't know, I was actually asking the coaches what they thought," Jackson muttered afterward. "I thought he had some real good post-up position out there, but just didn't turn around and shoot the ball in the post, which is one of his better things. He's waiting for something else to happen perhaps."

This particular scene I witnessed at the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo told me all I needed to know about Bryant's hit-and-miss commitment:

The Lakers scrimmaged last Saturday at their practice facility for more than a half-hour with Lamar Odom's team defeating Luke Walton's team. Notice, Kobe wasn't on either team. Neither was banged-up veteran Derek Fisher, but at least the veteran captain sat courtside watching intently and encouraging his teammates.

After the scrimmage, both teams ran wind sprints - Odom's winners running two laps and Walton's losers getting five trips up and down the court. Still, no Kobe.

The Lakers lined up for free throws, needing to make 80 percent for the team to avoid running more. Three misses result in another half-dozen sprints. Again, no Kobe – his teammates certainly could have used him with him being as solid a free-throw shooter as the Lakers have - in sight.

Finally, Coach Phil Jackson ends the madness and the team comes to the middle of the court for one last bit of advice and game prep. The players put their hands in the middle, symbolically representing a team united.

Yep, you guessed it. No Kobe Bryant in the huddle, on the court or maybe in the same zip code as his teammates. Bryant, apparently getting treatment on his surgically repaired knee, instead slipped out of the Lakers facility a handful of minutes after the practice session was complete dressed in a crisp black warm-up suit.

I understand superstar players take practices off every day during the NBA season, and certainly a player who goes as hard as Bryant does deserves a day off from the grind from time to time.

But to not even join his teammates during the hands-in-the-middle routine? How can this possibly be good for the Lakers? How can this possibly be good for team unity? How can it possibly be good for Bryant's desires to remain a part of this team?

Former Laker Brian Cook, who was traded to the Orlando Magic along with small forward Maurice Evans on Nov. 20, said he's happy to be out of Laker land where every day was seemingly a new drama with Bryant. Cook said there most definitely were some tense times in training camp following an offseason in which Bryant's shredded his teammates and expressed the same desire to leave the Lakers that a person would trying to escape a burning building.

"When training camp opened there were a lot of distractions because of the way Kobe talked about the team over the summer," Cook admitted. "But once the team came together it was really humbling to Kobe. He's a good friend of mine and never did anything bad to me. And he certainly set me up a lot of times on the court. Kobe did kind of open up this season and hang out with the fellas some, so that did kind of help smooth things out some."

But things with Bryant seem as rocky as ever these days and they figure to only get worse with the December schedule about to grow teeth.

The Lakers ended their two-game losing streak Tuesday against Minnesota, but games against Denver, Golden State (twice), San Antonio and the cross-town Clippers loom before a four-game swing to the East Coast. Then, L.A. gets a Christmas Day rematch against a scorned Phoenix team.

Don't be surprised if this Kobe situation gets worse before it gets better. The Lakers have few desirable parts and they aren't going to become a contender to Bryant's liking anytime soon.

So Bryant's checking out on the Lakers could come any day now – if it hasn't happened already.