Ok, Kobe Bryant is an amazing player, no doubt. Watched the second half of the game where Bryant scored 81 points, albeit against a lottery-bound team.
One caveat: while 81 points is apparently second best in NBA history (according to the game-side announcers - I haven't found a list yet), Elgin Baylor didn't have the luxury of the three point shot when he scored 71 points (nor did Wilt Chamberlain for that matter). Pistol Pete Maravich, for instance, seemed like he probably would have scored more than 68 points if the three point shot existed.
Up until the last 2 or 3 minutes of the game, the Raptors were still trying to play defense, Bryant was just that good
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With the fans at Staples Center chanting ''MVP! MVP!'' Bryant made two free throws with 43.4 seconds remaining for his final points, putting him behind only Wilt Chamberlain on the all-time scoring list.Chamberlain scored 100 points for Philadelphia against the New York Knicks at Hershey, Pa., on March 2, 1962. His second-highest total was 78 against the Lakers in three overtimes on Dec. 8, 1961.
''I couldn't even dream of this when I was a kid,'' Bryant said. ''There was no way possible.''
Bryant left to a standing ovation with 4.2 seconds remaining, having shot 28-of-46 from the floor and 18-of-20 from the foul line.
Elgin Baylor held the previous franchise record of 71 points at New York on Nov. 15, 1960.
Michael Jordan 's career high was 69 points, and only three players had ever scored more than 70 - Chamberlain, Baylor, and David Robinson .
via SI
update, quick and dirty list from Sports Illustrated reveals: with the exception of David Robinson (a center who probably took 10 three point shots over his long career), none of the top scorers had the bonus of three point shooting other than Jordan. Who knows about Wilt Chamberlain though - he couldn't make a free throw, not sure if the added range would have helped or hindered. I'm still looking for the list and stat lines of the top 25 games.
Don't get me wrong, anyone who can even squeeze off 46 shots, much less make 28 of them (60% shooting!!) is an awesome player. Not to mention making 18 of 20 from the foul line (minus one technical foul for complaining about getting jabbed in the eye without a whistle)
Will the Lakers make the playoffs? Probably. Will the Lakers go to the second round? Depending upon who they end up playing, probably not. Will the Lakers win a championship? Ha. Is Kobe glad that Tex Winter and Phil Jackson are back coaching the Lakers? You freaking better believe it.
shot chart (png file)
Tags: Basketball, /Lakers, /NBA
Pete would have scored a lot more probably with the 3pt line. I quote from http://www.nba.com/history/players/maravich_bio.html
"In his final season-with his skills rusty, his knees creaky, and his minutes limited-Pistol Pete Maravich finally got a chance to shoot three-pointers. He went 10-for-15."
Yeah, I've seen the Maravich 68 point game on NBA TV - nobody could stop that dude.
I had managed to flip to the Lakers Dallas game earlier this year as well, and Kobe was just as locked in.