Hoops Habit
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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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1. 81 Points

Kobe Bryant is one of the most accomplished players to ever grace the hardwood. True as that may be, nothing he’s done compares to what may be the greatest single-game performance in NBA history.

That’s no slight on Bryant’s career; this 81-point eruption was simply too extraordinary to place anything else above it.

Bryant finished with 81 points on 28-of-46 shooting from the field, a mark of 7-of-13 from 3-point range, and an efficient performance of 18-of-20 at the free throw line. That equates to a slash line of .609/.538/.900—ridiculous efficiency for this type of eruption.

Not only did Bryant score the second-most points in a single game in NBA history, but he needed to do it for his team to achieve victory.

More hoops habit: NBA: 25 Greatest Scorers of All-Time

The forgotten fact about this unforgettable outing against the Toronto Raptors is that Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers were trailing at halftime. Toronto led 63-49—a 14-point cushion—at the half, and led by as many as 18 points with 8:42 remaining in the third quarter.

Overall, this may have been the greatest scoring performance, in NBA history.

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