With the emphasis on 3-point shooting, getting to the foul line and scoring in the paint it feels like it’s easier than ever to score in the NBA.
The new generation of players have had multiple scoring outbursts, but those performances should also emphasize just how incredible it was to watch Los Angeles Lakers legent Kobe Bryant put on a show in his prime. Bryant had several prolonged stretches of otherworldly scoring games, but his most legendary one remains the night he scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors.
To date, it is still the second-highest individual scoring outing for a player in the league and Bryant did it in a variety of ways. The Raptors had absolutely zero answers for him and ultimately the Black Mamba led the Lakers to a thrilling victory.
Older players like Kenyon Martin were around to witness Bryant’s virtuoso performance in real-time and in an appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, he didn’t let Toronto hear the end of the Lakers’ icon single-handedly beating them:
“Y’all didn’t play no D? Y’all couldn’t do nothing? They were hot!”
K-Mart was letting the Raptors hear it after Kobe dropped 81 on them 😭 pic.twitter.com/mHJDU2xiPw
— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) August 3, 2023
Martin and the Denver Nuggets drew the Raptors the next day for a game and the infamous trash-talker had plenty of ammunition for their matchup. Bryant has made numerous opposing teams and players look silly, but none to that degree.
Almost two decades later and players like Martin still marvel at the fact that Bryant was able to do what he did. Bryant’s been the maestro of several marquee games in the NBA and he’ll soon have a statue in front of Crypto.com Arena to show for it.
D’Angelo Russell explains different between playing with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James
D’Angelo Russell was one of the last remaining players to team up with Bryant and got to witness his final game where he somehow dropped 60 points. Now, Russell is playing alongside LeBron James and is helping him lead the Lakers to another title for the storied franchise.
There aren’t many people who can say they’ve played with both Bryant and James, so when asked to describe the difference between playing with the two, Russell singled out their respective auras.
Russell noted how Bryant was all about business and locked in, while James is more sociable and involved with his teammates on and off the court.
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