The 10 greatest NBA Playoffs performances of all time

7. Kobe Bryant, Game 2 of the 2004 NBA Finals, June 8, 2004

Today, the Detroit Pistons of the Goin’ To Work Era are fondly remembered as arguably the greatest defensive team in NBA history. However, heading into the 2004 NBA Finals, they were seen as one of the biggest underdogs in the history of the series.

The LA Lakers featured four future Hall of Famers: Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton. They were also led by Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson. No one thought Detroit had a chance. All of that changed quickly when the Pistons shocked everyone and won Game 1 by a score of 87 to 75. Holding a team with four great offensive weapons to 75 points was unheard of, but the Pistons had done it.

In Game 2, understanding the magnitude of the moment, Kobe Bryant would not be denied. In the midst of being hounded and harassed by Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince all night long, Kobe managed to score 33 points, pull down four rebounds, dish out seven assists, and earn two steals. Although his stat line is impressive, his biggest moments came in the closing seconds of the game.

The Lakers were down by three with ten seconds left in the game. The Pistons did not allow Los Angeles to inbound the ball to Bryant; however, after a few passes, the ball found its way into his hands. With Rip Hamilton playing great defense and putting a hand in his face, Bryant launched a shot from several feet behind the 3-point line. The ball went in, nothing but net!

Detroit was unable to recover from the shock of the moment, and the Lakers went on to win the game by a score of 99 to 91. Although the Lakers would not win another game in the series and the Pistons would claim the title, Kobe Bryant’s exploits against one of the all-time great defenses are one of the most classic performances in NBA playoff history.