Two points — that was the difference in totals that pushed Bam Adebayo above Kobe Bryant for second place behind Wil Chamberlain's record of 100 points scored in a single game. Bam notched 83 to push Kobe's 81 to third place all-time. That caused evoked some weird reactions.
Los Angeles Lakers fans, passionate as they are, have gone to battle for the franchise legend immediately. What that has looked like at times is dragging the Miami Heat star down in the efforts to remind everyone of Bryant's greatness. That is unnecessary.
It is true that context gets lost over history. Perhaps that is why Lakers fans have tried so hard to ensure such a beloved figure in Los Angeles does not get forgotten in the process of Adebayo's accomplishment.
Truly, though, whatever way you slice up this incredible game from Bam, no one should come away with the impression that a couple more points makes it better than what Kobe did. Lakers fans do not need to drag any parts of an incredible outing from Adebayo. Bryant's was better.
Kobe Bryant's 81 is definitively the more impressive scoring outing
Firstly, the efficiency at which Bryant scored 81 should immediately make the two-point difference between him and Adebayo irrelevant in terms of what was the better scoring performance. Kobe shot 28-of-46 for a field goal percentage of 60.9 percent. That is remarkable.
Anyone who cares to look up the highlights of the dazzling night will see a wide array of difficult shots and buckets going down at that clip. The reel was a scorer's fantasy. Unlike Chamberlain's 100-point game, everyone knows what that night looked like.
The obvious thing that makes Bryant's outing the superior one is the era in which it happened. Scoring 81 points in 2006 is a much more difficult feat than scoring 83 in 2026. The pace and space in today's game opens up the floor a ton, inviting buckets in the process.
In 2005-06, the pace of the league was at 90.5 on average. In 2025-26, that mark is up to 99.3. The league average for offensive rating was 106.2 when Kobe's 81 happened. That figure is up to 115.4 for Bam's 83.
There is clear context to add that just makes Bryant's scoring night in the dead ball era so much more of a standout.
Lakers fans should not fear Bryant's performance being dismissed or forgotten just because someone has come along and marginally edged him out in points. There is still plenty of reason to celebrate the incredible game Adebayo had without the defensiveness.
It would not be absurd to think someone else will come along and pass up both of these games in pure scoring output in the future. The talent in the NBA is incredible, the skill is just as good, and the invitation to put up shots is there.
Even if — or when — Bryant's 81 slips down the rankings again, it will still remain just as impressive. Kobe's legacy as an all-time scorer is secure. Slipping a bit in one of these leaderboards will not hurt the man.