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Kobe Bryant: 50 Greatest Moments of Black Mamba’s Career

By Maxwell Ogden

Jan 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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7. 2005-06

Regardless of the fact that Steve Nash won MVP, the 2005-06 NBA season will forever be remembered as the year Kobe Bryant solidified his place as the best player in the world. He led the Los Angeles Lakers to an improbable postseason appearance, averaged obscene numbers, and earned the fear and admiration of his peers.

It may seem odd to include a full season in his, “50 greatest moments,” but Bryant’s 2005-06 campaign rates amongst the best in NBA history.

Bryant’s unforgettable season included his scoring an iconic 35.4 points per game on an efficient slash line of .450/.347/.850. In the process, he became the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 35 points per contest over the course of a full regular season.

Perhaps most significantly, Bryant became the first to do it since Michael Jordan in 1986-87, per Basketball-Reference.com. No one has achieved the feat since.

Over the course of the 2005-06 campaign, Bryant exceeded 40 points on 27 different occasions. He scored at least 50 points an absurd six times, had 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks, and, of course, scored 81 in a single game.

More on that last part will be coming soon.

Next: A Long Time Coming

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