With his 62-point game against Dallas in 2005 or his legendary 81 points against Toronto in 2006, the evening when Kobe Bryant scored 56 points in 34 minutes against the Grizzlies is one of the most astonishing performances of the 2000s.
Indeed, on January 14, 2002, the Lakers guard delivered a unique show, his career record at the time against rookie Pau Gasol, who would become his teammate five years later. The score is almost anecdotal (120-81) compared to the stat line of the 2008 MVP: 56 points at 62%, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 34 minutes!
“My teammates didn't stop talking to me the whole game, it made the match more fun for me. They encouraged me by telling me that I could beat the entire Memphis team single-handedly.”Kobe Bryant will tell.
Shane Battier, Kobe Bryant's future great opponent during the 2009 playoffs, was speechless in the face of such a scoring machine. He will admit that this match will change his defensive approach against the “Black Mamba. »
“When you play a great player, no defender is good enough to stop him. Kobe is particularly good, very good even. He achieved incredible things tonight. »
And Memphis may be happy to have played against only one big player, because Shaquille O'Neal, suspended for a fight with Brad Miller, did not play.
