Vs. Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats – Dec. 29, 2006
In an alternate universe where the Lakers don’t trade Vlade Divac immediately after the 1996 NBA Draft, Kobe could have been a member of the Charlotte Hornets. Obviously, Lakers fans thank their stars that the trade was made and that Kobe has enjoyed 20 amazing seasons in Los Angeles, but that does add an interesting wrinkle to Bryant’s history and performances over the course of his career against Charlotte.
However, this game stands out from may of the rest for the simple fact that it came in a losing effort for the Lakers. However, that had nothing to do with Kobe who performed at an unreal level against the then Bobcats in Charlotte. Kobe lit up the rim in his 54 minutes on the floor as he put up 58 points, five rebounds, and four assists on the night. Even more incredible is that he went 22-45 from the field on the night, an incredibly efficient shooting night.
The Bobcats ultimately pulled away to secure the win in triple overtime and Kobe heroics were eliminated as a possibility when the Lakers guard fouled out with less than a minute remaining in that final period. Still, a 58-point effort in a game where the Lakers needed all of them to be competitive is nothing to scoff at.
Next: Vs. Bulls