Kobe Bryant’s Top 10

10. Kobe’s Scoring Streak

In 9 consecutive games during the 2002-2003 season, Bryant captivated the basketball world with an impressive run of 40 or more points. Later, in the 2006-2007 season, Bryant would again taste immortality, scoring 50 or more points in four straight games, becoming only the second player to do so—the other was Wilt Chamberlain.

Game 1 of his Streak:

9. Dropping 55 on Jordan

Being a huge Michael Jordan fan, this game was a little hard to watch. But, Jordan was 39 years old, in his last season, and playing for the Washington Wizards. Kobe was 24 years old and he wanted to send a message to Michael and to everybody that there was a new top dog in the NBA.

Kobe v Jordan:

8. MVP Season

In 2008, Bryant went off for 28.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, and 5.4 apg. He showed his peers and the fans of the NBA that he had reached his pinnacle. After winning the award, a thankful Bryant said, “it’s been a long ride.” His Lakers went on to defeat the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the Western Conference Finals. Bryant took home the MVP and took the Lakers to the Finals, only to lose in six to the Boston Celtics, who were led by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. That summer, Bryant went on to win his first Olympic Gold Medal. This summer, Bryant won his second gold medal, beating Spain, and his teammate Pau Gasol, in the gold medal game.

7. 62 Points in 3 Quarters

I remember watching that game in person. I was working part-time while finishing my Master’s degree, so I could only afford nosebleed seats. Luckily, my awesome mother-in-law was able to get my wife and I seats in the first section of the Lakers v Dallas Mavericks game on December 20^th, 2005.

What I recall most about that game was how gigantic everybody looked up close. Bryant started off hot, hitting jumpers, spinning off defenders like they weren’t even there, and driving aggressively to the basket. And, the Lakers just kept going to him. He was unstoppable and unguardable. By the end of the 3^rd quarter, the score was Bryant 62, Mavs 61. Despite the fans’ desperate chants to put Kobe back in the game in the final period, Jackson decided to be merciful to the Mavericks. But, I am fully convinced that if Coach Phil Jackson had put Bryant in the game in the 4^th quarter, he would have scored more than the 81 points he poured in a month later against Toronto.

Highlight:

6. 2001 Championship

In the 1996 NBA draft, Allen Iverson was selected 1^st overall by the Philadelphia Sixers, while Bryant, who went to high school in Philadelphia, was selected 13^th by the Charlotte Hornets. When the two met in the Finals four years later, Iverson famously proclaimed that the Lakers’ success was “a whole lotta Shaquille O’Neal,” but Bryant had the last laugh as the Lakers walked away with their second straight NBA championship. In that playoff run, Bryant and the Lakers set a record going 15-1.

5. Kobe’s First Post-Shaq Championship

Winning a championship without Shaquille O’Neal guarding the paint was a career-affirming moment for Bryant. He had finally “done it by himself,” but in doing so he realized that no one does it by himself. Leading the team with 32.4 ppg, Bryant won the Finals MVP in 2009, the same year the award was renamed after Celtics’ legend Bill Russell. And, Bryant won the title and the MVP by besting his new teammate Dwight Howard and Shaq’s first team, the Orlando Magic.

4. Lakers Get Even

After losing to the Boston Celtics in the 2008 Finals, which included a 39-point spanking in game six, the Lakers relished the opportunity for revenge. Phil Jackson and Doc Rivers engaged in a little banter in the off-season of 2009, Jackson pleading with Doc to make it back to the Finals, so the Lakers could get another crack at them. The Celtics and Lakers met again in the 2010 Finals. But, after falling behind 2-3 in the series, the Lakers were on the ropes. Great efforts by Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace and Bryant secured victories in games six and seven. In game seven, Bryant paced the Lakers with 23 points and 15 rebounds. After it was over, Bryant said it was his most-satisfying title.

Highlights:

3. The Three-peat

Completing the first-ever Los Angeles Lakers three-peat (2000-2002) was a historic accomplishment for Kobe Bryant, Shaq, and Fisher. The Lakers won in style, sweeping Jason Kidd and Coach Byron Scott in the 2002 NBA Finals.

Highlights:

2. Kobe and Shaq: the First Championship

NBA greats have repeatedly said there’s nothing like the first one. Even Bryant, when he was asked about it after winning his first NBA championship in the post-Shaq era, Bryant responded, “there’s nothing like the first.” Shaq and Kobe’s journey was special. Going into the 4^th quarter of game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals, the Lakers were down 15, but they fought back with a barrage of Brain Shaw three’s to finally take the lead on a Kobe to Shaq alley-oop. Kobe’s brilliant WCF game seven featured: 25 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 blocks. In the 2000 Finals against the Indiana Pacers, Bryant took over late in game 4, after O’Neal fouled out, finishing with 22 points and the game-winning shot.

1. 81 Points

I remember this night like many people remember where they were when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated or when the World Trade Center exploded. No offense intended—I am not exaggerating; I’m just that big of a basketball junkie. That night is tattooed to my brain.

It was a cool January night around Los Angeles in 2006. I had only one plan that night—to watch the Lakers game, but my wife said she wasn’t going to watch a game against the lowly Raptors, especially when we had just seen Kobe go off for 62 in person a month earlier. I relented, but I also recorded the game so I could watch it later. Pulling away from the In-n-Out burger, fried grease on my hands sticking to my steering wheel, I turned on the radio.

“77. Kobe just tied Elgin Baylor. Another free throw. 78. Kobe’s got the Laker record.” I was floored. Bryant’s 81 points is second only to Wilt Chamberlain’s 100, which he scored in 1962. We went right home to watch the game from the beginning, and now my wife and I watch all the games, even the ones against the Raptors.

Kobe’s 81: