Sunday evening, the attention of sports fans throughout America briefly drifted from their fixation with the NFL playoffs to the NBA. And for once, it was actually basketball that they were drawn to, not a vicious brawl or the antics of some primadonna superstar. Well, at least there wasn't a brawl.
Sunday night, 27-year-old Kobe Bryant lit up the Toronto Raptors and in turn the NBA record books for an astounding 81 points. That total is second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100 for most points ever to be scored in a NBA game.
Kobe has had big nights this year and throughout his career, but this was just insane.
This season alone, Kobe has put up three 50-plus-point games. Bryant had 50 against the cross-town and suddenly popular rival Los Angeles Clippers. He had 51 in a loss to the Sacramento Kings. And he netted a jaw dropping 62 against Dallas in only three quarters of play. He's had 40 points or more in 12 games this season.
During the 2002-03 season, Kobe became one of only three players in the history of the NBA to score at least 40 points in nine consecutive games. In just his 10th year in the NBA, Bryant has an unreal 52 games with at least 40 points.
But this performance puts everything else that he has had done up to this point to shame. Kobe was 28-of-46 from the floor, including 7-of-13 from beyond the arc. Many people accuse Bryant of shooting the ball too much, and they would be right in most instances. Forty-six shots is a ton of attempts for even the biggest gunner. But when a player of Kobe's caliber and talent is shooting the ball at a 61 percent clip, you give him the ball and get out of the way.
To put this incredible achievement into perspective, one only needs to look at the record books. Michael Jordan, the golden child of the NBA, could only manage 69 points for his career-high. And that was in an overtime game. Larry "Legend" Bird could only muster 60. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, never topped 60. The only players not nicknamed "The Stilt" to ever make it close were David Thompson (73) and Elgin Baylor (71).
Sunday, Phil Jackson and the Lakers did what they've been doing all season: let Kobe take them as far as he can. And believe it or not, it's actually worked so far for the Lakers. At least more than last season.
The Lakers are 22-19, which has to be a big surprise to nearly everyone that saw them play last season. Last year, the Lakers finished 34-48, 28 games behind Pacific division champion Phoenix, and 11 games behind the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, Memphis. They were a miserable team and Kobe was the only reason that the Staples Center didn‘t have as many open seats as the TD Waterhouse in Orlando.
If the playoffs started today, the Lakers would be the No. 7 seed coming out of the West, right behind the L.A. Clippers. They also sit just 4.5 games behind Phoenix, who is the No. 2 seed at the moment.
The only significant addition to this year's Lake Show was the re-hiring of the triangle guru, Phil Jackson. Unless you're one of those that count Smush Parker and Kwame Brown as significant additions.
This is exactly what Kobe wanted to happen in L.A.. He seems to have a Jordan-complex. He wanted to get rid of Shaq so he could have a chance to prove he was the best player in the NBA. He wanted a Phil Jackson-coached team centered completely around himself with nothing but role players to fill out the starting lineup and roster.
And maybe he has the right idea. The Bulls never had a center of much quality. The likes of Bill Wennington, Will Perdue, Bill Cartwright, and Luc Longley were about as productive as Chris Mihm, Slava Medvedenko, and Andrew Bynum are now. Maybe the Lakers could be a Scottie Pippen-esque player away from the Finals. Just as long as that Pippen impersonator isn't Lamar Odom.
Sunday night showed that Kobe is capable of beating a team single-handedly. Despite Bryant's 26 at the half Sunday, the Lakers still trailed the Raptors 63-49 at the break and trailed 71-53 in the third quarter. Kobe then took it upon himself to drop 55 points in the second half. And don't think the Lakers didn't need every one of those 55 second half points. That total was second to only Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 59 points in the second half of that 1962 game in New York when he dropped 100.
Of the 12 games that Kobe scored 40 or more this season, the Lakers have won eight. Of the 52 games in his career that he scored 40 or more, L.A. is 36-16.
Kobe leads the league in points per game at 35.9, which is 16 points above his career average. He's shooting a solid 45 percent from the field, 35 percent from beyond the arc, while grabbing just under 6 boards and dishing 4 assists. He's displaying an all-around game not found very often in today's NBA outside of LeBron James.
If the season were to end today, no matter what your personal views are on Kobe Bryant, he has to be the league's MVP. He has taken a team full of people that no wants and has turned them into a playoff contender. He has the ability to elevate his game offensively to places no one else in the game today can go.
And the scary part of it all, is he can probably get more than 81. The sky is the limit with Kobe in this situation. Many times with this club this year, he is the only viable scoring option on the floor. He has been extraordinarily durable this season at over 40 minutes per game. If he gets in a groove similar to the one he was in on Sunday, who knows how many he can score.
So whether you're a Kobe fan or not, as long as you're a fan of basketball, you have to love the grace and ability that Kobe exudes on the court. The excitement that he brings to the game can only make the NBA stronger. And the more he scores, the more fans start to forget about all the bad things that have happened in the NBA over the past year or so. It could be similar to the effect of the Mark McGwire/Sammy Sosa home run race that rejuvenated baseball.
Everyone knows that Kobe has contributed to the black eye that the league currently wears. However, if he continues on this current path and keeps his nose clean, he can let his game do the talking from now on.
January 26, 2006
John Reimbold:
Nice piece Chris.
January 27, 2006
Nora:
Great story…..keep em’ coming!!!!
You are an amazing writer…I’m proud of you. :)
love,
Nora
January 28, 2006
Mark:
Chris, you appear to be like most of the kids I hear talking about Kobe’s exploits — those who love scoring and don’t really understand basketball. Bottom line, when the Lakers get to the playoffs, Kobe won’t be scoring 80, 60 or even 40, unless he chucks up 40 shots. (Of course, we all know he won’t shy away from that.) The difference is that good teams won’t let him shoot 60%.
In the playoffs, things get real. Good teams aren’t going to allow this ridiculous circus stunt. The lakers, and Phil Jackson, should be ashamed. This isn’t basketball; it’s more a Globetrotter performance. Perhaps Kobe should join the Trotters, as he’d fit right in, launching those full-court shots and driving past guys who just stand around and watch, like the Raptors.
By the way, a far more complete player named LeBron James could score 80 or more anytime he wanted to do it. He just doesn’t want to do it, because he wants to make his teammates better, and he wants to win. This is what legendary players do. Players like Jordan, Magic, Isaiah and LeBron, who is just 21 and has better statistics across the board than the gunner from LA.
Kobe is not a legendary player; he’s just another good NBA shooter who never saw a shot he doesn’t like. He’ll never win a title without Shaq. LeBron, on the other hand, will make decent players like Z and Drew Gooden better, and he’ll build Cleveland into a perennial winner.
He may never score 80 or even 60; he’ll just continue to average better than 25 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game which, by the way, puts him in a category with ONE other player in history — Oscar Robertson. Toss in nearly two steals, a block and close to 50% shooting on average per night, and you have arguably the greatest player ever.
We’ll give him a few more years to curse him with that label, but it will definitely happen.
Meanwhile, I think Kobe just chucked up another shot.
January 28, 2006
Chris:
I appreciate anyone leaving comments on my stories, however I don’t particularly like being belittled.
I think LeBron is one of the five best players in the league. However, he still has alot of catching up to do. Kobe’s got three rings, and before you give all the credit to Shaq for those rings you must remember one thing. Shaq didn’t win anything until he came to LA and got paired up with Kobe. And by my count he hasn’t since. You can’t downplay Kobe’s ability and his part in those championships. He is a gunner and he is selfish. But so was Jordan.
And I don’t know how much better LeBron is making Drew Gooden or anyone else on that team for that matter. Drew Gooden is a decent player at best and that’s all he’ll ever be. Just like most of the rest of the players on the Cavs, other than LeBron.
And by the way there’s no reason to talk down to someone just because you don’t agree with what they’re saying, kid.
January 28, 2006
Eric B:
Wow! The last comment was right on the money. Although 81 points is eye-popping, taking forty-six shots in one game is just silly. This sort of play needs to stay in high school.
Any team that needs that type of output from one player to win is destined for a seven or eight seed, at best, and a 3-1 first round series loss in the playoffs (see Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady). Championship teams have more than one player who can drop 30-plus on you at any time and they play smothering defense.
Champions are not concerned with how many points they get. They’ll take the 81-78 victory while scoring only 16, themselves. I doubt Kobe would be satisfied with that.
To even suggest that Kobe is in the class if Michael Jordan is grounds for incarciration.
There is one glaring difference between Kobe and Michael…
Kobe goes out of his way to let people know he’s the best player in the league
Michael simply new, and it showed on the scoreboard every night.
LeBron understands that, too.
January 28, 2006
Eric B:
I like your story, but don’t you think Phil Jackson has a little bit to do with the three rings?
Those Laker teams were fantastic, but the Bulls teams that won six did not have Kobe or Shaq. They did have the Lakers coach, though. Hmmmm……