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Kobe channels wilt, goes for 81 points
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-23 15:37
Bryant raised his scoring average to an NBA-leading 35.9 points this season.
"I never imagined I would see history like that," said Devean George, a
teammate of Bryant's with the Lakers for 6 1/2 seasons. "I can't tell you where
that came from. He just kept attacking, attacking, attacking — every time he got
the ball."
Bryant played nearly 42 minutes, going the entire second half until being
lifted by coach Phil Jackson.
Los Angeles Lakers'
Kobe Bryant holds his daughter Natalia after his 81-point performance
against the Toronto Raptors during their NBA game in Los Angeles January
22, 2006. Bryant set a personal career single-game scoring high, and the
performance is the second-highest single scoring total in NBA history.
[Reuters] |
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Jackson coached Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to six championships in the
1990s and the Lakers, with Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, to three more titles,
from 2000-02.
"That was something to behold," Jackson said. "It was another level. I've
seen some remarkable games, but I've never seen one like that before."
Bryant's performance came on the same night the NBA had its highest-scoring
game in 11 years when Seattle beat Phoenix 152-149 in two overtimes. The last
300-point game in the league came when Dallas beat Houston 156-147 in two
overtimes on April 11, 1995, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"You're sitting and watching, and it's like a miracle unfolding in front of
your eyes and you can't accept it," Lakers owner Jerry Buss said. "Somehow, the
brain won't work. The easiest way to look at it is everybody remembers every
50-point game they ever saw. He had 55 in the second half."
Lamar Odom's 3-pointer with 7:04 remaining gave the Lakers a 100-93 lead, and
Bryant scored 30 seconds later to give him 61 points and his team a nine-point
advantage. The Raptors didn't pose a serious threat after that.
Bryant scored all but 15 of the Lakers' 42 points in the third quarter,
shooting 11-of-15 including 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Six of his points came
during a 12-0 run to finish the period, giving Los Angeles a 91-85 lead.
The Lakers outscored the Raptors 38-14 to finish the third quarter to go
ahead for good. They trailed by as many as 18 points early in the period,
angering Bryant.
"He was ticked off," Odom said.
When asked what Bryant said at that stage, Odom replied: "Nothing. That's
when it's bad."
Bryant scored 51 points after the Raptors took a 71-53 lead. It was 63-49 at
halftime.
"The thing about him that is most amazing is that he is relentless," Raptors
coach Sam Mitchell said. "We played man-to-man, box-in-one and zone. We tried to
put smaller guys on him to deny him the ball.
"I saw that game he had against Dallas where he scored 62, what more can you
say?"
Smush Parker added 13 points and Chris Mihm had 12 points and six rebounds
for the Lakers.
Mike James led Toronto with 26 points and 10 assists. Chris Bosh added 18
points and eight rebounds and Jalen Rose scored 17 points for the Raptors.
Bryant scored a season-low 11 points in the Lakers' 102-91 victory over the
Raptors in Toronto last month. He had 14 in the first quarter of this game. ...
Bryant has led the Lakers in scoring in the last 21 games in which he's played.
He is averaging 45.5 points in 10 games since sitting out a two-game suspension.
...
Toronto C Rafael Araujo, who has made 30 starts this season, missed his
second straight game and third of the season because of a sore right shoulder.
... Bryant made his first five foul shots before missing late in the second
quarter, snapping his streak of consecutive made free throws at 62. Michael
Williams made an NBA-record 93 straight for Minnesota in 1993. ... Bryant
received a technical foul with 10:44 left — shortly after being accidentally
struck above the right eye.
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