On the anniversary of 81, what is retiring Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s best performance against each NBA team?
Friday night marks the 10-year anniversary of one of the most important moments in NBA history, particularly in the past 20-30 years. That moment, of course, is the night that Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Kobe Bryant dropped 81 points on the Toronto Raptors in the Air Canada Centre.
While it may not have eclipsed the NBA record of 100 points in a single game, the 81 points that Kobe scored are just incredible in the modern era. No one has even come close to that mark and that’s not a mistake. It’s almost impossible to put up that kind of scoring output in the way the game is played in the current era.
Even more impressive, though, is the fact that the Lakers needed all 81 of Kobe’s points to beat the Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006. Coaches and players alike have spoke on the fact that the Lakers wouldn’t have been in that game if Bryant hadn’t been competing and scoring at an unprecedented level on that night. He needed to make history to win and he did just that.
And really, that’s kind of the calling card of Kobe. There aren’t many players in history that have the ability to recognize moments and then capture them the way that Kobe does. It’s a mark of an all-time great and the 81 points was his masterpiece among many classics.
So, in honor of the 81-point game, these are some more of his classics. These are Kobe Bryant’s best single-game performances against each of the 29 other NBA teams.
Next: Vs. Hawks
Vs. Atlanta Hawks – Nov. 1, 2009
After all of the trials that the Lakers had to endure after Shaquille O’Neal’s departure in the mid-2000s, the arrival of Pau Gasol changed the landscape of the league and the Lakers. At the start of the 2009-10 season, the team was coming off of their first title with Kobe and Pau. Subsequently, Kobe set the tone right out of the gate against the Atlanta Hawks at the start of the year with an unreal performance.
Kobe was absolutely phenomenal in this game as he contributed in every facet of the game at a high level. The Mamba put up 41 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and an incredible five steals in the contest. Even better, he put up those 41 points with an incredibly efficient shooting night as he went 15-29 from the floor. Even more impressive is that he put up 41 points while only making one of his two three-point attempts on the night.
Kobe undoubtedly set the tone on Nov. 1, 2009 in that matchup at the beginning of the season against the Hawks. They were the reigning champions, but Kobe and the Lakers made it clear that night that they weren’t going to be satisfied with just the one ring.
Next: Vs. Celtics
Vs. Boston Celtics – Game 6, 2010 NBA Finals
Considering the historic rivalry between the Lakers and Boston Celtics, it’s wholly unsurprising that Kobe has had some monstrous performances against Boston. And while it may not be the most impressive statistical performance of his career, his performance against Boston in the 2010 NBA Finals helped carry the Lakers to their second consecutive title and Game 6 was undoubtedly Bryant’s opus from that series.
Kobe only put up 26 points in Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals, which is far from his highest output against the Celtics over the course of his career and his continuation of the rivalry against Boston. However, it’s the fact that he added three assists, four steals and an impressive 11 rebounds on the night. While he was huge offensively, what’s more impressive is how dominant he was defensively in leading the charge in the Lakers’ best defensive performance of the Finals series.
Bryant and Los Angeles held the Celtics to only 67 points in Game 6 and Kobe was at the forefront of that defensive effort while also carrying the offense. Though it may not have been the most overwhelming offensive performance that Kobe has had even just against the Celtics, it was his overall performance in a big moment that lands it on this list.
Next: Vs. Nets
Vs. Brooklyn Nets – Feb. 13, 2001
Though the Nets may currently occupy Brooklyn, Kobe and the Lakers had some great battles with the franchise when they were still not far away in New Jersey. However, Kobe’s greatest performance came in the middle of February 2001 against the New Jersey Nets in an overtime contest. Kobe put forth a trademark scoring effort in addition to putting up big numbers across the box score.
In the overtime effort, Kobe put up 38 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block in the effort. Even better, Kobe was incredibly efficient in his scoring effort as he made 14 of his 25 shot attempts on the night and went 2-5 from three-point range. What really vaults this game into the stratosphere of one of Bryant’s best performances of his career, though, was his heroics in the extra period that carried the Lakers to victory.
After struggling to find his offensive rhythm early in the overtime period, he came up in the biggest moment for the Lakers like he has on so many different occasions. With under five second remaining, Kobe drove and got to the rim where he finished through contact for the game-winning and-1. It may have just been a regular season game, but it was a fantastic showing from Bryant who has a myriad of them.
Next: Vs. Hornets/Bobcats
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
Vs. Chicago Bulls – Dec. 17, 1997
As is the case with most teams in the league, Bryant has a number of big-time performances throughout his career against the Chicago Bulls. However, he also has a number of big games where the statistical production isn’t always as important as the moment that it happened in. That’s certainly the case on Dec. 17, 1997 when a young Kobe Bryant in his second NBA season dueled with Michael Jordan and the Bulls.
Though there were more moments of this kind as Kobe’s career wore on and MJ’s career came to a close, this was really the first notable torch-passing moment between the two. Kobe was still coming off of the bench for the Lakers, but that didn’t stop him from putting up a monster effort as a whole. He finished the night with 33 points, three rebounds, and two assists. Moreover, he did so shooting 12-20 from the floor and 3-5 from long-range coming off of the bench as just a 19-year-old.
Kobe would undoubtedly go on to bigger things in his career than this game, but seeing him duel with Jordan at such a young age at this point in his career is an undeniably fond memory in the minds of Lakers fans.
Next: Vs. Cavs
Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers – Jan. 13, 2012
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Lakers have had a bit of an unspoken rivalry over the past decade since the arrival of LeBron James into the NBA. The battles between LeBron and Kobe have almost always been wildly entertaining, though the two unfortunately never got the playoff duels that the fans have always deserved. However, Kobe’s single best performance against the Cavs came while LeBron was no longer in Cleveland.
Midway through the 2011-12 season as the Cavs were still reeling from the loss of James, Kobe uncorked an absolutely incredible performance. The Lakers legend put up 42 points, three assists, five rebounds, and three steals in a winning effort. Even better, the guard went 15-31 from the floor and 4-7 from long range. He was absolutely infallible on both ends of the floor, even if the Cavs didn’t have LeBron on the opposite end of the floor.
There are plenty of other big-time games that do include LeBron, such as his 33-point, 12-rebound game in January 2008 and many others. However, the big-time performance in January 2012 when he just absolutely lit up the box score as whole is Kobe’s best game against the Cavs over the course of his career.
Next: Vs. Mavericks
Vs. Dallas Mavericks – Dec. 20, 2005
There have been many games throughout the course of Kobe Bryant’s career that are remembered as the cream of the crop in his repertoire of incredible outings throughout his 20 seasons in the league. However, there are plenty that are right up there alongside the 81-point game. His game against the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 20, 2005 is right up there and, had he played in the fourth quarter, may have actually wound up being better than his 81-point outing.
Lakers fans will always remember this game as what potentially could have been had Kobe been let to continue. In only three quarters and just 33 minutes of playing time, Bryant put up 62 points on 18-31 shooting from the field. Even more incredible is that he knocked down 22 of his 25 free throw attempts on the afternoon, added eight rebounds, and even notched three steals on the occasion. It was Kobe at his peak just going absolutely berserk and destroying Dallas.
Though fans outside of Los Angeles will largely remember the 81 points more than anything, this game should not be forgotten about in terms of how incredible it was. 60-plus points in only three quarters is unheard of, but it’s Kobe so it happened.
Next: Vs. Nuggets
Vs. Denver Nuggets – Game 2, 2008 Western Conference First Round
The Denver Nuggets and Kobe Bryant actually have a surprisingly storied (if not one-sided) history together has Kobe has lit them up in a big way on a number of occasions throughout his career. Given that, it was a difficult choice as to which game to choose as Kobe’s best, but given that one of his best overall performances happened in the playoffs against Denver, the matchup on April 23, 2008 in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs seems like a no-brainer.
Kobe put up an unreal stat-line across the board to kick off the 2008 NBA Playoffs with the series against the Nuggets. Kobe exploded for 49 points on 18-27 shooting from the floor and 5-9 shooting from three-point range. Even better, though, Bryant filled up the stat sheet across the board as well as he accrued 10 assists, four rebounds, one steal, and one block in the matchup against the Nuggets.
Though he’s undoubtedly been a bit of a ball-stopper and shot-happy guard at times in his career, Kobe operating simply as a playmaker has always been just incredible to watch. As evidenced by the double-double, that was on full display against the Nuggets in this game and it was greatness.
Next: Vs. Pistons
Vs. Detroit Pistons – Game 2, 2004 NBA Finals
The Detroit Pistons were the ones that finally dethroned the Kobe-Shaq Lakers at the start of the 2000s. Subsequently, it’s 100 percent fair for Lakers fans to look at the Pistons as the most evil franchise in the entire league (you know, the way many fans in the NBA look at the Lakers because of their success). However, in being dethroned, Kobe wasn’t going to go down without a fight in the 2004 NBA Finals and it resulted in a masterful performance for the ages.
Blue Man Hoop
In what ended up being the Lakers’ only win in the 2004 Finals series that the Pistons won, Kobe single-handedly toppled the Pistons with a supreme effort. In the overtime win for the Lakers, Kobe put up 33 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and two steals. It was absolutely incredible to see him just not let his team lose despite the turmoil that the team was undoubtedly in with he and Shaq having their problems.
Even more incredible was Kobe’s effort in overtime as they pulled away from Detroit on his back. Of the 10 points that they score in the period, Kobe scored or assisted on eight of them to close out the game. It was fantastic effort from Bryant that allowed the Lakers to save face in the Finals.
Next: Vs. Warriors
Vs. Golden State Warriors – April 13, 2004
Though the performances against the Golden State Warriors in Kobe’s final NBA season have been more depressing for Lakers fans than anything, Bryant has lit the Warriors up on a number of occasions in the past. That run includes one of Kobe’s many 50-point games, but that game was actually in a losing effort for the Lakers and Bryant also turned the ball over eight times. Instead, his best performance came in a win where he flirted with a triple-double.
At the conclusion of the 2003-04 season for the Lakers as they were about to make a run to the NBA Finals, Kobe put up a monstrous effort. He finished the night scoring 45 points, dishing out eight assists, grabbing seven rebounds, notching two steals, and blocking two shots. Even though he was 0-6 from three-point range in the game, the fact that he still managed to go 14-29 from the field is quite impressive in terms of recover from poor long range shooting.
Bryant was simply out of his mind trying to carry that Lakers team at that point in his career and Golden State couldn’t adequately offer resistance. It’s one of the more intriguing times for Kobe in his career, but that doesn’t mean it’s not impressive.
Next: Vs. Rockets
Vs. Houston Rockets – Dec. 15, 2006
In the dark times for the Lakers when the team was surviving on Kobe and prayers between Shaq and Pau being on the roster, Bryant undoubtedly put up some of his more unreal games in terms of production. That includes an absolutely monstrous double overtime performance against the Houston Rockets towards the beginning of the 2006-07 season as Kobe was carrying his team to relevance by himself.
In 54 minutes on the floor (which is just absurd in it’s own right) on Dec. 15, 2006 against Houston, Kobe was just all over the place on both ends of the floor. He ended the night with 53 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and one block. What’s more incredible is that this was one of those games where the Lakers aren’t even competitive if Kobe doesn’t have one of those transcendent performances that he’s capable of. That’s what happens when Smush Parker is the second-leading scorer for your team in an actual, real, live NBA game.
Kobe certainly looks back at these times and marvels at what he did and what he had to do because of the team that was put around him. This is undoubtedly a singular instance of that where anyone who watched was just in awe of what he had to and was able to do.
Next: Vs. Pacers
Vs. Indiana Pacers – Jan. 9, 2009
One of the more curious instances that I discovered in doing the research of Kobe’s greatest games against each NBA team is that he hasn’t had that many transcendent performances against the Indiana Pacers as he has against a number of other NBA teams. However, he did have a handful throughout his career and none were as great as his showing on Jan. 9, 2009 against Indiana when he absolutely torched the Eastern Conference foes.
In a win as the Lakers were on their way to their first championship of the Kobe-Pau era, Bryant couldn’t be stopped in any way. He put up 36 points on 10-20 shooting, but it was how he contributed elsewhere that was really impressive. Mamba notched 13 assists and crashed the glass to grab seven rebounds on the night as well. To not only be scoring at that level, but to be setting up teammates with passing and rebounding as well just shows how destructive Kobe was being to the Pacers on this night.
As I’ve said before, Kobe as a playmaker is the best type of Kobe and this was a fantastic example of that. Across the box score from wire to wire, it was Bryant just dominating.
Next: Vs. Clippers
Vs. Los Angeles Clippers – Jan. 7, 2006
The dynamic of the big brother and little brother between the Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers has been steadily shifting as Kobe has gotten deeper into his 20-year career. However, one of many reasons why the gap between the two teams was so wide to begin with was because of Kobe. Subsequently, Bryant had no problem burying the Clippers on multiple occasions throughout his career.
While many people will point to Kobe putting up a triple-double in the 2002 season against their in-city rivals (33 points, 12 assists, 15 rebounds) as his best performance, I have a near triple-double from the 2006 season as his best overall performance. On Jan. 7 of that season (just a couple of weeks out from Kobe dropping 81 actually) Bryant put up 50 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds on the Clippers. While it was relatively inefficient at 17-41 shooting on the night for Kobe, it was complete annihilation of the Clippers at the hands of Kobe in a winning effort.
Triple-doubles are great, but a 50-point outing where he still almost notched a triple-double is just simply absurd. He could have shot 30 percent from the floor and it still would’ve been impressive.
Next: Vs. Grizzlies
Vs. Memphis Grizzlies – March 22, 2007
Relatively quietly, Kobe Bryant has absolutely eviscerated the Memphis Grizzlies over the course of his career. In fact, Kobe has three 50-point games against the Grizzlies over the course of his career, which is more than many players have in their entire career, much less against one team. However, his best game of the bunch was his 60-point outing on March 22 of the 2006-07 season when, as was commonplace in that era for the Lakers, he single-handedly took down Memphis.
Bryant garnered his 60 points on that night with a solid shooting performance as he went 20-37 from the field. Possibly even more impressive is the fact that he put up four assists and five rebounds in addition to his monster scoring effort. Again, it’s worth mentioning how little help he had on these teams and the fact that he was able to go on the road and drop 60 points on an opponent is just unprecedented in terms of greatness.
Kobe’s scoring in this era for him and the Lakers is just absurd as he had numerous games where he simply couldn’t be stopped. He was in his prime and achieved levels of greatness that we may not see again for quite some time as it was the perfect storm for him to shine individually.
Next: Vs. Heat
Vs. Miami Heat – Dec. 4, 2009
Despite the superstar matchup with Dwyane Wade when facing the Miami Heat for much of his career, the type of game that Bryant traditionally steps up for, his impressive outings against the Heat aren’t quite as staggering as they have been against many other teams in the league. However, I like his outing on Dec. 4, 2009 as the Lakers were on their way to Kobe’s fifth championship as his best night against the Heat.
In 42 minutes, Kobe put up 33 points, three assists, seven rebounds, and three steals against the Heat as he helped carry the Lakers to a victory over Miami. Moreover, he shot a nice percentage from the floor as he went 12-25 from the field. However, this obviously gets the nod because, well, it featured some heroics from Kobe as he was the one to get the win for the Lakers.
After Wade hit only one of two free throws with less than five seconds left, Kobe caught the inbounds pass and put up a three with about a second left on the clock. As one of his many career game-winners, it was money and it gave the Lakers this win in a high-profile matchup.
Next: Vs. Bucks
Vs. Milwaukee Bucks – Jan. 11, 2008
Kobe Bryant playing against the Milwaukee Bucks doesn’t hold the clout that many of the matchups with other teams around the league do. Quite frankly, the Bucks have been inconsistent over the years and they don’t have the historical significance to the Lakers that several other teams throughout the league do. Still, that doesn’t mean Kobe hasn’t had big performances over his career against Milwaukee and his outing on Jan. 11, 2008 is the best of the bunch.
In a winning effort—like most of Kobe’s best games against the Bucks have been over his 20 seasons—Bryant put up 37 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals in this game while shooting 12-25 from the floor and knocking down an impressive five of his nine three-point attempts. Even more impressive is the fact that he put up these numbers in only 37 minutes on the floor.
This was still technically in the era when Kobe was having to do most everything for the Lakers as Pau Gasol still hadn’t arrived in Los Angeles. This team wasn’t winning games unless Kobe was out of his mind and he was doing just that on a regular basis. That may be even more impressive than his individual game.
Next: Vs. Wolves
Vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – March 18, 2007
Yet another game from the era where it was Kobe having a big game or the Lakers losing, Kobe had a couple of monster outings against the Minnesota Timberwolves in March of the 2006-07 season. However, considering that one of those games was a win and the other was a losing effort pushes the big outing in the victory ahead of the other, even if the numbers in the losing effort may have been a bit better. Still, it’s hard to scoff at a 50-point game.
In 45 minutes of action for Kobe, the Lakers legend put up those 50 points on solid 17-35 shooting from the field and with 4-9 shooting from three-point range. Moreover, Kobe put up three assists, six rebounds, and three steals. Though other players weren’t awful for the Lakers on a rare instance for that era, it was Kobe that had to step up to carry his team to a victory.
Again, it’s games like this that are just unreal. That he was going into every game at this time with defenses knowing he was going to have to play at this level for the Lakers to win and that he could still do it is unfathomable.
Next: Vs. Pelicans
Vs. New Orleans Pelicans/Hornets – March 23, 2007
Playing against the Oklahoma City Hornets in the wake of Hurricane Katrina forcing the team to move away from New Orleans from a bit, Kobe had the best game of his career against the franchise. In a winning effort, Kobe poured on one of his patented scoring efforts (again, this was in 2007 when it feels like Kobe was doing something historic in terms of his scoring because he had to) that the Lakers needed every bit of to secure the victory.
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Bryant went off as he had an incredibly efficient shooting night as he went 16-29 in terms of shooting from the field. As he also knocked down all 16 of his free throw attempts on the night, Kobe ultimately ended up with 50 points on the night while he also added seven rebounds to his credit. Though he only had one assist and one block elsewhere in the box score, that he played the way he did at that time and only had one turnover deserves some credit as well.
Considering that Lamar Odom was the second leading scorer at 15 points, the Lakers needed all 50 points to get the win and Kobe gave it to them. That’s just what he did then and what he has done for most of his career.
Next: Vs. Knicks
Vs. New York Knicks – Feb. 2, 2009
Finally getting out of the dark ages for the Lakers that were all Kobe or bust, the Lakers were on their way to a title in the 2008-09 season as they went to take on the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden on Feb. 2, 2009. While the Lakers were certainly rolling, no one could have expected the magical and historic performance that was about to ensue in the world’s most famous arena.
Kobe set a then record for scoring in Madison Square Garden (Carmelo Anthony has since eclipsed it) as he put forth a monster effort shooting the ball. In only 37 minutes of action, Kobe had 61 points when all of the dust settled. Though he only added three assists and one block to his statistical output, that he put up 61 points on 19-31 shooting from the floor and going 20-20 from the foul line is enough for this game to be Kobe’s best against the Knicks.
Bryant has undoubtedly had some monster performances against the Knicks and several big ones inside MSG. However, when he set the record for the Knicks’ home arena, there’s no game that’s ever going to top that (unless he has another 81-point effort left in his 37-year-old body).
Next: Vs. Thunder/Sonics
Vs. Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics – April 15, 2007
In the next to last season that the Seattle SuperSonics were up in the Pacific Northwest before moving to Oklahoma City and being rebranded as the Thunder, Kobe made sure to come up with a nice parting gift in one of his last games against the green and gold. That parting gift came to the tune of a 50-point outing for Bryant in one of Kobe’s most efficient and well-rounded 50-point games of his career.
Lest we forget (because I’ve said it roughly 6,000 times over the course of this look back at Kobe’s career), this game happened during the era of the Lakers when it was either Kobe having a big game or the Lakers failing. Subsequently, Bryant stepped up to the plate and had a big outing as he put up his 50 points on 18-25 shooting from the field and 3-6 shooting from long-range. What really makes this game stand out is that Kobe was able to put up three assists, eight rebounds, and two steals while only turning the ball over once. As the second leading scorer only had 14 points, the Lakers needed every bit of Kobe going off to make that happen.
Next: Vs. Magic
Vs. Orlando Magic – Game 1, 2009 NBA Finals
With Pau Gasol finally in tow and the Lakers mowing through the rest of the league on the way to the 2009 NBA Finals, Kobe and company were met with the Orlando Magic standing in the way of the first title of this new era in Los Angeles. Right out of the gate, though, Kobe sent an emphatic message to the Magic that he was going to run right through them by himself if that’s what it was going to take for another championship.
In Game 1 of the 2009 NBA Finals, Kobe came out of the gate ready to just destroy the Magic. In only 38 minutes on the floor, Bryant put up 40 points, eight assists, eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Moreover, he put up his 40 while only attempting one three-pointer which he also happened to miss. With how he stepped up all across the board in such a big moment, this is honestly one his most impressive games ever, not just against the Magic.
The Lakers would obviously go on to get the chip, but Kobe’s performance in the first game of the series set the tone in a big way that the Lakers fed off of to get the title.
Next: Vs. Sixers
Vs. Philadelphia 76ers – Jan. 6, 2006
Kobe Bryant has always had a little more motivation in terms of playing the Philadelphia 76ers considering they are his hometown team as a Philadelphia-based player. Moreover, Bryant and Allen Iverson had some epic duels in the early 2000s that many fans from both sides of the rivalry remember fondly. However, his best game came just a few weeks before he dismantled the Raptors with 81 points as he went off against the Sixers.
Bryant played only 35 minutes in the winning effort, but that didn’t stop him from almost having 50 points on the night. Kobe finished with 48 points to go along with 10 rebounds, two assists, and two steals on the night. What really pushes this game forward in terms of impressiveness is that Kobe shot 19-29 from the floor in that game and a perfect 7-7 from long range. He was just on another level offensively on that night and Philly had no answer.
There are certainly plenty of other games that stand out in terms of Kobe’s illustrious history of playing the 76ers and Iverson, but this game was just monstrous for Bryant in terms of his scoring and rebounding and deserves to be recognized as such.
Next: Vs. Suns
Vs. Phoenix Suns – Game 4, 2010 Western Conference Finals
Another one of many teams that Kobe has pretty much always had big games against is the Phoenix Suns. Especially when Steve Nash was in Phoenix and not on the trainer’s table in Los Angeles, the teams had some absolutely epic battles for supremacy in the Western Conference in the late 2000s. Kobe has always been one to rise to the occasion and he did so in a monstrous way in Game 4 of the 2010 Western Conference Finals against the Suns.
Even though the Suns ultimately picked up the win in the game (thanks a lot, everyone not named Kobe), Bryant’s performance really helped the Lakers set the tone for the rest of the series as they went on to win the next two games and advance to the Finals. That’s sort of what happens when a guy like Kobe explodes in a playoff game for 38 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, one block and one steal, while rarely missing on just 15-22 shooting overall and 6-9 shooting from deep. He couldn’t be stopped or anything close to it, he just didn’t get the help he needed.
It’s a rare loss on this lists of best performances for Kobe, but one that’s wholly deserving of being on the list. It was pure domination from Bean that shouldn’t be lessened because of the help he needed and didn’t get.
Next: Vs. Trail Blazers
Vs. Portland Trail Blazers – March 16, 2007
Hey look, we’re back in the 2007 season when Kobe was at the height of his powers and having to do everything for the Lakers. However, there’s no single game that more adequately epitomizes this—outside of the 81-point game of course—than a March 16, 2007 matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. In an overtime matchup in STAPLES Center, Kobe just simply had to do it all to secure the victory for the Lakers and he did just that.
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Bryant put up an ungodly 65 points in 50 minutes of playing time and did so with remarkable efficiency. He finished the night shooting 23-39 from the floor and 8-12 from three. Moreover, though, he also put up seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals while only turning the ball over twice. That he only turned the ball over twice in 50 minutes on the floor is going to get overlooked, but is just ridiculous.
This game was the epitome of Kobe carrying the Lakers at this time. Only two other players in purple and gold reached double-figures on the night and they still won because Kobe was that good on that night. That’s almost as impressive as 81, though not quite.
Next: Vs. Kings
Vs. Sacramento Kings – Game 4, 2001 Western Conference Semis
There’s a long, storied history between the Lakers and the Sacramento Kings and one that is undoubtedly filled with a lot of ill will between the two fan-bases. Much of that stems from their playoff meeting in the early 2000s and the officiating in those games. What doesn’t help the fact, though, is that Kobe also happened to just obliterate the Kings in a couple of those games in those series, one of which happened to be in Game 4 of the 2001 Western Conference semifinals.
Kobe absolutely took it to the Kings in this game with one of the most dominant double-double outings of his entire career. Kobe played all 48 minutes and didn’t take his foot off of the gas for one second that he was on the floor. He finished the night with 48 points, 16 rebounds (nine on the offensive end), three assists, two steals, and one block. Moreover, he put up his numbers with a more than respectable 15-29 shooting performance.
Though he had better scoring nights and almost triple doubles throughout his career against Sactown, Kobe’s performance on this night in the playoffs, it was just an enormous and necessary performance to bury a Western rival on the way to a title.
Next: Vs. Spurs
Vs. San Antonio Spurs – Game 3, 2001 Western Conference Finals
Just a handful of days after Kobe had single-handedly put the Kings down for the count, the Lakers were in the Western Conference Finals taking on the undying San Antonio Spurs when their dynasty was still young. However, Bryant didn’t give a damn about Tim Duncan and company in Game 3 of the WCFs as he went out on the floor and just made his mark on every aspect of the game.
While he didn’t have the defensive stats that some of his big performances are supplemented by, Kobe did have a monstrous overall outing. He finished the night with 36 points, eight assists, nine rebounds, and one steal for good measure while playing just 40 minutes in the victory. Moreover, he shot an impressive 14-27 from the floor and pushed the Lakers’ lead in the series to 3-0 over the Spurs, all but ending any hope for San Antonio of ever beating the Shaq-Kobe Lakers.
There’s a narrative out there that Kobe was carried by Shaq to their three titles and, while O’Neal was a big factor and it would’ve been much more difficult with a center even slightly less dominant, Kobe was just unreal on numerous occasions through their run. This happens to be one of those times.
Next: Vs. Raptors
Vs. Toronto Raptors – Jan. 22, 2006
What more can you say about the 81-point game? It’s one of the most memorable performances of the past 30 years in the NBA and just one of the most unbelievable things. Unbelievable is a word that gets thrown out a lot, but it’s still hard to believe that Kobe got to 81 points in a single game in the truest sense of that word. He got hot and stayed hot and the Raptors couldn’t find a way to stop him from rolling once he was a blazing fireball torching their defense every time down the floor.
Everything about it was just phenomenal basketball. Forgotten because of his offensive explosion is that he put up the 81 points on 28-46 shooting and in only 42 minutes of play. Moreover, he also added six rebounds, three steals, and one block, something that will be overlooked because 81 is a really, really high number to see in the points column.
There are countless anecdotes and stories about this game, during, before, and after. Every one of them is fascinating because it all leads to the simple fact that a guard in the mid-2000s scored 81 freaking points in a single basketball game. That shouldn’t happen, but Kobe made it happen.
Next: Vs. Jazz
Vs. Utah Jazz – Nov. 30, 2006
It almost feels like a bit of a letdown now that we’ve reached the 81 points and are now looking elsewhere, but Kobe had some huge performances against the Utah Jazz over the course of his career. However, one of the more remarkable, especially in terms of per-minute scoring, came at the start of the 2006-07 season against Utah in STAPLES when Bryant just eviscerated the Jazz by himself.
Kobe played only 34 minutes against the Jazz in this game. If you think that means he didn’t put up a big number in the scoring column, you’d be wholly wrong. Kobe still managed to put up a whopping 52 points in this game as he shot 73.1 percent from the floor (19-26) on the night. Just for good measure, Kobe also added four rebounds, three assists, and one block on the night. However, it’s the unreal scoring effort when he wasn’t on the floor for that long that stands out.
Honorable mention against Utah for Kobe came in 2001 when he put up 39 pints, eight assists, six rebound, three steals, and one block on them early in the season in Utah. However, the 52 points in 34 minutes is just too good to not have at the top of his games against the Jazz.
Next: Vs. Wizards
Vs. Washington Wizards – March 28, 2003
When talking about Kobe’s performances against the Bulls, we talked about that being the torch-passing moment in 1997 with Kobe against Michael Jordan. However, it was only the first of those moments. The last of them came on March 28, 2003 in Jordan’s final game against the Lakers. Though MJ was on his last legs in the league, that didn’t stop Kobe from emphatically making the statement that this was his league to dominate.
Kobe and Jordan each played 41 minutes in a duel, but the comparison isn’t even close. Where Michael put up a solid 23 points, Kobe was out of his damn mind as he exploded for 55 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Moreover, he shot a solid 15-29 from the field and lit the Wizards up from deep as he hit nine of his 13 three-point attempts on the night as well.
Next: Friends and Foes Remember Kobe's 81-Point Game
While the performance itself by Bryant was impressive in its own right, the narrative really makes this a favorite in terms of the history of Kobe’s run with the Lakers over the past two decades. This was Kobe staring down the greatest basketball players of all time and declaring that his time was over and it was now the era of the Mamba. Now that era is coming to a close, but we’ll always have the memories.