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Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant’s top 5 playoff games wearing No. 8

By Zain Danani

USA - JUNE 16: Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers naps with the NBA Championship trophy on board the Lakers' team flight back to Los Angeles the day after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers to win the 2001 NBA Championship, June 16, 2001. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges 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 2001 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
USA - JUNE 16: Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers naps with the NBA Championship trophy on board the Lakers' team flight back to Los Angeles the day after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers to win the 2001 NBA Championship, June 16, 2001. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges 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 2001 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant's top 5 playoff games wearing No. 8
SACRAMENTO, UNITED STATES: Los Angeles Lakers’ guard Kobe Bryant celebrates at the finals seconds of game four of the Western Conference Seminfinals against the Sacramento Kings 13 May, 2001, in Sacramento, California. Kobe scored 48 points to defeated the Kings, 119-113. AFP PHOTO John G. MABANGLO/jgm (Photo credit should read JOHN G. MABANGLO/AFP/Getty Images) /

May 13, 2001 – Kobe Destroys the Kings

The 2000-01 Lakers are considered one of the greatest teams of all-time. The team finished the season with a record of 56-26 – second-best in the league. More importantly, however, the team won the championship and had the best playoff run of all-time as they went 15-1.

After their first championship, the Lakers began to realize that they have two superstars. Shaq was already the reigning MVP, but Kobe’s play in the 2000 NBA Playoffs and Finals made it clear that he was one of the best shooting guards in the league. Therefore, the duo took over in the 2000-01 NBA season.

The Big Aristotle finished with averages of 28.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocks while shooting 57.2 percent from the floor – similar to his MVP year. Kobe, however, made huge strides and had the best season of his career at the time. He ended the season averaging 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, five assists, and 1.7 steals while shooting 46.4 percent from the floor.

Both players ended up being top-ten MVP candidates and the team looked as though they would repeat as champs. Similar to the 2000 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers met the Blazers in the 2001 NBA Playoffs. This time, however, they played each other in the first round.

Although the series had gone to seven the previous year, the Lakers took care of business as they swept Portland, 3-0, in a best of five series. The team then advanced to play the Sacramento Kings, who they had played the previous year as well.

In the 2000 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers and Kings faced off in the first round. The series went the full five games – the first-round series used to be five games – and L.A. prevailed with a 3-2 victory. In 2001, however, the team was in no mood to prolong the series.

The Lakers jumped up to a 3-0 lead and Sacramento had lost its hope of winning. In Game 4, however, those hopes were rejuvenated as Shaq was in foul trouble. Unfortunately, Kobe was not. Moreover, he was playing better than O’Neal.

L.A. would go on to win the game and Bryant would finish with a then playoff career-high 48 points and a career-high 16 rebounds on 51.7 percent shooting. Additionally, with Shaq battling foul trouble, Kobe scored 15 points in the fourth quarter including nine in the last five minutes.

The Lakers would follow their sweep of the Kings by sweeping the Spurs and beating the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals. Kobe would win his second championship and although Shaq would win Finals MVP, it was clear that Bryant was just as deserving.

Bryant finished the playoffs averaging 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. To put that into perspective, he averaged 30.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in the 2009 Playoffs when he won Finals MVP.

Next: Kobe Bryant's Top 10 Games Of All-Time

Kobe’s greatness in #8 is remarkable. He was deserving of more awards than he had, but luckily he would get that in #24. Next time, we will see Bryant’s top playoff games in #24. In the end, however, regardless of which number, no one ever wanted to see Kobe Bryant in the NBA Playoffs.

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