Kobe Bryant’s best game against the Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets – Game 3 of the 2002 Finals
This victory over the New Jersey Nets in Game 3 of the 2002 finals pretty much sealed the deal for the Lakers three-peat from 2000-2002. Kobe and Shaq combined for 71 points and the Lakers took a very commanding three-game lead in the series.
No team has ever come back from three games to none in the NBA Finals and it did not happen this time either. After their thrilling Game 3 win by three points, they stomped on the Nets in Game 4 to sweep and win the series.
In this Game 3 performance, Kobe proved that he was easily the second-best player in the game if not the best next to his teammate Shaquille O’Neal. To go along with his 36 points, Kobe also had two blocks, one steal, four assists, and six rebounds, filling up the stat sheet in one of his best Finals performances yet.
This game proved that even the Nets’ best performance on their home court was not enough to take down a legendary dynamic duo at the peak of their powers. It was either Shaq dominating down low or Kobe slashing in the lane or shooting on the perimeter, and Jason Kidd and company could not stop it.