He had already achieved a performance of this type, in January 2002 against Memphis with 56 points without playing the last quarter. But this December 20, 2005, Kobe Bryant pushed the performance to the rank of legend. In 33 minutes and only three quarters, the rear of the Lakers scored 62 points. Opposite, Dallas only registers… 61.
He single-handedly beats the Mavs
It’s the first time in NBA history that a player has beaten an entire team in three quarters. Even Wilt Chamberlain had never managed that. In detail, Kobe Bryant scored 15 points in the first quarter, 17 in the second and a franchise-record 30 in the third. Impossible for the Mavericks to stop him, after having tried everything.
“ We had no answer to him. explains annoyed Avery Johnson, the coach of Dallas. ” We tried two-man catches, the zone, trapping him… Nothing worked. He did what he wanted tonight. »
Phil Jackson, yet accustomed to seeing crazy performances with Michael Jordan, is left speechless. ” I’ve seen a few 60-point games in my life, but none were made in three quarters. His 30-point third quarter was amazing. »
“We want Kobe! »
The match being folded, the Lakers then lead 95-61, Kobe Bryant will spend the last quarter on the bench, blowing on his fingers as if to show that he had a warm hand.
Despite the “We want Kobe” from the 18,897 spectators at the Staples Center, the back will not return to the field.
“I felt like I could keep playing against them. I was determined. This is clearly the best scoring game of my career. Luckily for his fans, a month later, Kobe Bryant will be spending more time on the court and scoring 81 points against the Raptors.
But his 62 points at 18/31 on shots remain for many his benchmark game and one of the best offensive performances in NBA history.
Because the Mavericks, future finalists against Miami in 2006, were not the Raptors and they are only five, with Kobe Bryant, to have scored 60 points and more in less than 35 minutes: George Gervin in 1978, Karl Malone in 1990, Klay Thompson in 2016 and James Harden 2019.
