Los Angeles Lakers: 30 greatest individual performances in team history

Los Angeles Lakers: 30 greatest individual performances in team history: 18. Kobe Bryant doesn’t quit

Alright everyone, there’s nothing left to see here. Everyone make an orderly line and get home safe. We’ll get ’em next time.

As Laker fans began making their way to the exit, all they could think about is what went wrong? Their hometown team was fresh off winning three straight titles and had all the right pieces in place to win a fourth. So when the Dallas Mavericks roamed into their building on an early December night, no one was expecting what they saw.

Somehow, the Lakers were trailing by 28 points at halftime. They didn’t make much of a dent in the lead in the third period, winning the quarter by only one point and facing a 27 point deficit heading into the fourth. But while fans were busy figuring out what they were going to eat on their way home from the game, the Lakers were making their comeback. The home team scored 44 points, 21 of those which came at the hands of Kobe Bryant. They also managed to hold the Mavericks to only 15 points.

After scoring only six points through the first three quarters, Bryant couldn’t miss in the fourth, hitting all seven of his two-point shots, he also knocked in his only 3-point attempt and went 4-4 from the line to finish the period with 21 points and 27 for the game. Bryant also nailed the game winning bucket from mid-range which sealed the deal with only 8.4 seconds left. Fans who left the arena were left dumbfounded when they realized what happened.