Flashback Friday 2005: Kobe Bryant Crushes The Hawks With 37 Points

A November Night In 2005 Began A Historic Season For Kobe Bryant

There aren’t enough words that you could write in one day about the career of Kobe Bryant. Most of the legend can be penned about his jump from high school into the NBA, while others will focus on Bryant’s obsession with basketball perfection. At the end of each story, it’ll all end with his many accolades and how Bryant proved doubters that he could walk in the shadow of his idols.

Today, we take a look back at one of his memorable games against the Atlanta Hawks as the Los Angeles Lakers prepare to visit Philips Arena one last time with the Black Mamba.

The time was during the 2005-06 season when the Los Angeles Lakers, just a year removed from trading Shaquille O’Neal to the Miami Heat. Bryant was undergoing much scrutiny after alleged spats with O’Neal that led to his split and criticisms from legendary coach Phil Jackson.

Despite the details that Jackson covered in his book about Bryant’s “un-coachable” nature, he returned to lead the Lakers’ star back to prominence. Bryant led the league in scoring with a career-high average of 35.4 points during his 80-game season.

On Nov. 8 of that year, Bryant traveled south to take on newly acquired Joe Johnson and company. Bryant came into the game on a streak of three 30-point performances that he would extend after a 37-point barrage on the Hawks’ defense.

The game was one of Kobe’s best, both athletically and in terms of efficiency. He finished the game shooting nearly 58 percent from the field on a combination of midrange shooting and attacks at the rim. It was truly vintage Kobe at the height of his emergence.

Bryant played alongside two Lakers whom he shared championships with in Lamar Odom and Sasha Vujacic.

Aside from a masterful game in Atlanta, Bryant made plenty of scoring headlines that year. It featured both his historic 62-point outscoring of the Dallas Mavericks in three quarters, and the 81-point drubbing of the Toronto Raptors.

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Maybe it was the need to prove that he was ready to come into his own. Perhaps it was a culmination of turmoil that surrounded the Lakers prior to that season. No matter where Bryant pulled the inspiration and will, it was indeed his finest display of skill that fans have ever witnessed. Little did many basketball fans know that it was the continuation of a career that will soon come to a joyous end.