Los Angeles Lakers: Comparing Kobe Bryant as 8 and 24

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 6: The Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame player banners are seen at STAPLES Center on April 6, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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PHOENIX, AZ – MARCH 23: Kobe Bryant /

Key Opponent: Suns: Lakers and Kobe fans have a tough time recalling the year the Suns eliminated them from the playoffs in 2005 and 2006. The Lakers were up 3-1 over the Suns in 2005, which included a classic game winner by Bryant in overtime. Steve Nash, Tim Thomas, Amare Stoudamire, and Raja Bell were the main components on that Phoenix Suns team that ranks high in infamy for Lakers fans. This heated rivalry included an incident during the 2005 playoffs, where Raja Bell, a notorious Kobe hater, clotheslined Bryant during Game 5 of the Lakers/Suns series. With that, the Suns owned the Lakers in the playoffs, going 3-0 against Los Angeles from 1994-2007.

Key moment: 81 points. The 2005-2006 season saw Bryant break multiple scoring records and was a canvas for offensive brilliance, winning the NBA scoring title. Kobe averaged 43.4 points in the month of January, which included an 81-point outburst against the Toronto Raptors. Trailing much of the 1^st half, Bryant had to will his team against a mediocre squad in the Raptors, scoring virtually from every spot on the court. Arguably, (crazy as that sounds) this was Bryant’s best game of his career.

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